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Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond spoke on behalf of Richard Glossip Wednesday at his clemency hearing as he faces a May 18 execution date.
In an unprecedented move, Oklahoma’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond spoke on behalf of Richard Glossip at his clemency hearing before the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board Wednesday.
Drummond claimed that Glossip’s trial was “beset by a litany of errors” before Pardon and Parole Board members Calvin Prince III, Edward Konieczny, Richard Miller, and Cathy Stocker. Board member Richard Smotherman recused himself from decisions involving Glossip’s case, citing conflict of interest since his wife was a prosecutor involved in the case.
The Pardon and Parole Board voted Wednesday 2-2 on Glossip’s clemency request, denying it since there was not a majority vote.
Glossip has been on Oklahoma’s death row for 25 years and has had nine separate execution dates and eaten three last meals for his conviction in a 1997 murder-for-hire of his boss Barry Van Treese.
Earlier this month, Drummond had asked the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals to vacate Glossip’s murder conviction and remand the case back to Oklahoma County District Court. His decision came after ordering an independent review of a case that had long been plagued by doubts and controversy. The court rejected the Attorney General’s motion April 20.
“Public confidence in the death penalty requires that these cases receive the highest standard of reliability,” Drummond said.
Glossip was given 20 minutes to speak to the Pardon and Parole Board Wednesday via zoom.
“I’m not a murderer, and I don’t deserve to die for this,” Glossip said through tears during his clemency hearing.
Glossip’s attorney, Don Knight, said “we will pursue every avenue in the courts to stop this unlawful judicial execution.” The attorneys are expected to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Time is running out as options are being exhausted by Glossip’s defense team.