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Justice delayed is justice denied.
In the 1990s, Richard Glossip was convicted of murder-for-hire and sentenced to death in a case that almost entirely hinged upon the testimony of a teenage murderer.
It was not until this year — nearly three decades after he first went on Oklahoma’s death row — that Glossip was permitted to get a new trial.
After 29 years and three times strapped to the table (before last-minute reprieves), he’s out on bail — thanks to one of the country’s most famous influencers.
The state nearly killed this man three times
Film producer Scott Budnick took to Instagram late on Thursday, May 14 to share an announcement.
“BREAKING NEWS – AFTER 29 YEARS INNOCENT ON OKLAHOMA’S DEATH ROW,” Budnick began, “RICHARD GLOSSIP WALKED OUT AS A FREE MAN THIS AFTERNOON!!!!”
Admittedly, freedom in this case was not free. Cash bail continues to separate the rich from the poor.
“Well, he has to be released on bail,” Budnick added.
The good news, he continued, is that Glossip’s bail “was GRACIOUSLY paid for immediately by @kimkardashian who’s been fighting for Rich’s freedom for years.”
“Even though EVERY Democrat and Republican in OK knew he was innocent,” Budnick continued, “he was strapped to the execution table THREE times and three times given a last second reprieve.”
We do recommend that people look up a list of the legal absurdities that have haunted Glossip, including evidence that was never handed over, paper-thin arguments, and what appear to be numerous provable lies from the man who avoided the death penalty by testifying against him.
“Tonight he is home in his wife Lea’s arms, for the first time EVER,” Budnick announced.
“Thank you to @itsjasonflom and @kimkardashian for putting Richard’s case on my radar,” Budnick expressed. “And for amplifying this injustice to millions.”
Budnick’s caption concluded: “Now that Rich’s old conviction has been thrown out, the Oklahoma DA is trying to recharge him 30 years later. That is the next step of the fight. STAY TUNED.”
His case is infamous and extraordinary, only in part due to lack of evidence
In 1997, a man named Justin Sneed beat motel owner Barry Van Treese to death with a baseball bat.
Though his initial statements did not mention Richard Glossip, he later claimed that Glossip — who worked as a manager at the motel (where Sneed worked as the maintenance man) — had hired him to do it.
In testifying to this, Sneed received life without parole but avoided the death penalty for the savage killing.
Even the twisted and corrupt version of the United States Supreme Court that is in power today could see that this case was a grievous miscarriage of justice.
Last year, SCOTUS tossed out the conviction. Prosecutors are retrying him for murder — though it’s unclear what evidence they plan to present.
The good news is that prosecutors will not be seeking the death penalty this time around.
Many people misunderstand the question of capital punishment to be wondering whether evil people deserve to die. Some would say no, others would say yes. But that is not the key question of executing people.
Capital punishment instead hinges upon whether one can trust the state to condemn people to die. The Glossip case seems to perfectly exemplify one of the many reasons for which we cannot.
Though we are justifiably critical of Kim Kardashian at times, we continue to applaud her when she uses her money and platform for good. Paying for this man’s $500k bail is a good use of her wealth and power.
Unless some damning evidence that has remain hidden for 29 years suddenly pops up, we wish Glossip well at his retrial. And in lawsuits over his wrongful conviction and repeated brushes with death at the hands of our broken system.
Kim Kardashian Pays Bail for Richard Glossip, Now at Home After 29 Years on Death Row was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
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