Cops planted evidence, supreme court acquits death row convict after a decade.

​The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the conviction and death sentence of Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma death row inmate, and ordered a new trial. The Court found that prosecutors violated Glossip’s constitutional rights by allowing false testimony from a key witness and withholding crucial evidence.

Glossip was convicted in 1998 for the 1997 murder of motel owner Barry Van Treese in Oklahoma City. The prosecution’s case heavily relied on the testimony of Justin Sneed, who claimed Glossip hired him to commit the murder. However, it was later revealed that prosecutors failed to disclose important information about Sneed’s mental health and inconsistencies in his statements.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond supported Glossip’s appeal, acknowledging that Glossip did not receive a fair trial. The Supreme Court’s decision was a 5-3 ruling, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing for the majority. ​

This ruling underscores the importance of prosecutorial integrity and the necessity for fair trials, especially in capital cases. The state of Oklahoma must now decide whether to retry Glossip or drop the charges.

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