Oklahoma dismisses murder charge against former death row inmate Richard Glossip

Richard Glossip, a former Oklahoma death row prisoner who was nearly executed multiple times, had the murder charge against him dismissed, CBS News and NBC News reported.

Glossip was originally sentenced to death for the 1997 killing of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, who was beaten with a baseball bat in an alleged murder-for-hire scheme.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Glossip's conviction in February 2025 due to issues with key witness testimony, finding that prosecutors admitted testimony they knew to be false, violating his right to a fair trial, according to NBC News.

Glossip was released on bond in May 2026 pending retrial, with Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond stating the state would retry him on a murder charge but not seek the death penalty again.

On Thursday, Glossip pleaded guilty to a lesser accessory charge, leading to the dismissal of the murder charge. His attorney said this plea was to resolve the case and that Glossip could be sentenced to up to 15 more years or possibly released.

Attorney General Drummond acknowledged the Supreme Court's ruling and indicated prosecutors would seek additional prison time, while Glossip's attorney said Glossip has "more than paid his debt to society" after nearly 30 years on death row.