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| Oklahoma death row inmate's supporters: 'He's just such a good man' | Oklahoma death row inmate's supporters: 'He's just such a good man' |
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| Pending a last-minute appeal to the US supreme court, Richard Glossip, who two weeks ago came within hours of death by lethal injection, will once again prepare to enter Oklahoma’s death chamber on Wednesday. | Pending a last-minute appeal to the US supreme court, Richard Glossip, who two weeks ago came within hours of death by lethal injection, will once again prepare to enter Oklahoma’s death chamber on Wednesday. |
| Celebrities, elected officials and supporters around the globe have made Glossip a high-profile figure in the death penalty debate, which is reaching a fever pitch as the US prepares to execute six inmates in nine days. Activists are planning to gather for rallies at the Oklahoma state house and the US supreme court on Tuesday evening in support of Glossip, who continues to maintain his innocence of the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese at a motel in Oklahoma City. | |
| That appeal that bought him two more weeks was denied on Monday, and though his defense team has filed last-minute requests with the state court of criminal appeals, the US supreme court and Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma is once again preparing to execute him at 3pm local time on Wednesday. On Tuesday night, he was – for the second time – served his last meal of pizza and fish and chips. | That appeal that bought him two more weeks was denied on Monday, and though his defense team has filed last-minute requests with the state court of criminal appeals, the US supreme court and Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma is once again preparing to execute him at 3pm local time on Wednesday. On Tuesday night, he was – for the second time – served his last meal of pizza and fish and chips. |
| Related: Oklahoma inmate scheduled to die on Wednesday after appeals rejected | Related: Oklahoma inmate scheduled to die on Wednesday after appeals rejected |
| Two of Glossip’s fiercest defenders are the death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean and a New York City-based healthcare consultant, Kim Van Atta. They believe wholeheartedly in the innocence of Glossip, a man they say is kind and gentle, not the malicious murderer the state of Oklahoma has portrayed him to be. | Two of Glossip’s fiercest defenders are the death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean and a New York City-based healthcare consultant, Kim Van Atta. They believe wholeheartedly in the innocence of Glossip, a man they say is kind and gentle, not the malicious murderer the state of Oklahoma has portrayed him to be. |
| “You know how I got involved in this whole thing?” Prejean said, laughing. “I’d written to him sporadically and then somebody arranged a phone call January 5, so I’m talking to him for the first time. In this sweet voice, he says ‘Sister Helen, I’m really glad to meet you … I hope you don’t mind – I know I didn’t ask your permission or anything, but, like, I put you down to be with me when I’m executed … I just put you down in the hopes that you’d be with me.’” From there, she said, she “just started praying and doing everything I needed to do”, contacting lawyers and raising awareness. Two weeks ago, celebrated with supporters outside the prison in McAlester when they heard of the appeals court’s decision to grant a stay. | “You know how I got involved in this whole thing?” Prejean said, laughing. “I’d written to him sporadically and then somebody arranged a phone call January 5, so I’m talking to him for the first time. In this sweet voice, he says ‘Sister Helen, I’m really glad to meet you … I hope you don’t mind – I know I didn’t ask your permission or anything, but, like, I put you down to be with me when I’m executed … I just put you down in the hopes that you’d be with me.’” From there, she said, she “just started praying and doing everything I needed to do”, contacting lawyers and raising awareness. Two weeks ago, celebrated with supporters outside the prison in McAlester when they heard of the appeals court’s decision to grant a stay. |
| Van Atta, who runs richardeglossip.com, became involved with Glossip in a more roundabout way. Van Atta, an avid music fan, connected with an attorney working on Glossip’s appeal via A Guided By Voices listserv called Postal Blowfish. The attorney, G Lynn Burch, who has since left the defense team, discussed the details of the case and asked Van Atta to contact Glossip, who at the time did not have many supporters. “I’m not the penpal type of guy,” Van Atta said, “I waited around a few good months before I decided.” | Van Atta, who runs richardeglossip.com, became involved with Glossip in a more roundabout way. Van Atta, an avid music fan, connected with an attorney working on Glossip’s appeal via A Guided By Voices listserv called Postal Blowfish. The attorney, G Lynn Burch, who has since left the defense team, discussed the details of the case and asked Van Atta to contact Glossip, who at the time did not have many supporters. “I’m not the penpal type of guy,” Van Atta said, “I waited around a few good months before I decided.” |
| After learning more about Glossip and his case, Van Atta said, “I thought oh my God, this is insane. This is like bizarre world, so that’s when I reached out, because I also knew that once I did, I couldn’t stop. I had to be in for the long haul.” Sixteen years later, the two are still close, and Van Atta is also one of Glossip’s selected witnesses for his execution. Van Atta returned to Oklahoma on Tuesday morning. | After learning more about Glossip and his case, Van Atta said, “I thought oh my God, this is insane. This is like bizarre world, so that’s when I reached out, because I also knew that once I did, I couldn’t stop. I had to be in for the long haul.” Sixteen years later, the two are still close, and Van Atta is also one of Glossip’s selected witnesses for his execution. Van Atta returned to Oklahoma on Tuesday morning. |
| “The relationship just grew and it deepened to where he now considers me his closest friend,” Van Atta said, “and I’m pretty much at the same place myself.” | “The relationship just grew and it deepened to where he now considers me his closest friend,” Van Atta said, “and I’m pretty much at the same place myself.” |
| Two weeks ago – the day after Glossip was granted a stay of execution just hours before he was scheduled to receive a lethal injection – Van Atta says he told Glossip how important their friendship was. | Two weeks ago – the day after Glossip was granted a stay of execution just hours before he was scheduled to receive a lethal injection – Van Atta says he told Glossip how important their friendship was. |
| “I said, I’m going to be straight with you, Richard. Outside of meeting Mary, my wife, and both of my kids, I said Richard, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” | “I said, I’m going to be straight with you, Richard. Outside of meeting Mary, my wife, and both of my kids, I said Richard, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” |
| “He’s just taught me so much about grief under pressure,” Van Atta said. “How he manages to survive and stay in this place that is very secure an peaceful is pretty remarkable.” | “He’s just taught me so much about grief under pressure,” Van Atta said. “How he manages to survive and stay in this place that is very secure an peaceful is pretty remarkable.” |
| The two share a love for music, even though Van Atta said their tastes “don’t always coincide”. | The two share a love for music, even though Van Atta said their tastes “don’t always coincide”. |
| They recommended music to each other, and Glossip turned Van Atta on to musicians like Frank Turner, Benjamin Booker, the Districts, and Jack White, whom Van Atta says he still thinks “an arrogant prick”, but grew to respect as talented after Glossip encouraged him to keep listening. | They recommended music to each other, and Glossip turned Van Atta on to musicians like Frank Turner, Benjamin Booker, the Districts, and Jack White, whom Van Atta says he still thinks “an arrogant prick”, but grew to respect as talented after Glossip encouraged him to keep listening. |
| Van Atta’s appreciation for Glossip’s taste is not, however, unconditional. | Van Atta’s appreciation for Glossip’s taste is not, however, unconditional. |
| “He keeps trying to push Kings of Leon on me, and I’m not willing to go there,” Van Atta laughed. “He has an eclectic taste, and I like that he’s just open to new experiences and new sounds.” | “He keeps trying to push Kings of Leon on me, and I’m not willing to go there,” Van Atta laughed. “He has an eclectic taste, and I like that he’s just open to new experiences and new sounds.” |
| Glossip told the Guardian he loves Cold War Kids and X Ambassadors, whose keyboard player, Sam Harris, has spoken to him on the phone. According to Van Atta, Glossip wants their song Free and Lonely to be played at his funeral. | Glossip told the Guardian he loves Cold War Kids and X Ambassadors, whose keyboard player, Sam Harris, has spoken to him on the phone. According to Van Atta, Glossip wants their song Free and Lonely to be played at his funeral. |
| Glossip said his MP3 player has helped him get through his incarceration, and that his lack of access to it as he awaits execution has been one of the most challenging points of his incarceration. | Glossip said his MP3 player has helped him get through his incarceration, and that his lack of access to it as he awaits execution has been one of the most challenging points of his incarceration. |
| Prejean said Glossip has spent his final days in constant communication with his friends. “He talks to people on the phone. He keeps in close touch with people all the time,” she said, “He’s just really a people person.” | Prejean said Glossip has spent his final days in constant communication with his friends. “He talks to people on the phone. He keeps in close touch with people all the time,” she said, “He’s just really a people person.” |
| Prejean and Van Atta both stressed Glossip’s strength as he has approached three execution dates: Wednesday 16 September and one in January that was called off when the US supreme court took up his and three other inmates’ challenge to the use of the lethal injection drug midazolam. | Prejean and Van Atta both stressed Glossip’s strength as he has approached three execution dates: Wednesday 16 September and one in January that was called off when the US supreme court took up his and three other inmates’ challenge to the use of the lethal injection drug midazolam. |
| “He knows how to be with himself, how to maintain,” Prejean said. “I keep saying ‘Richard, you gotta just stay in the present moment. Don’t start living in anticipation. Stay in the present moment and imagine in front of you and around you all these people that have stood up for you.’” | “He knows how to be with himself, how to maintain,” Prejean said. “I keep saying ‘Richard, you gotta just stay in the present moment. Don’t start living in anticipation. Stay in the present moment and imagine in front of you and around you all these people that have stood up for you.’” |
| Prejean said Glossip has received 1,000 letters from people across the globe | Prejean said Glossip has received 1,000 letters from people across the globe |
| “I think he’s going to be OK, I really do,” Prejean said. “He’s truly innocent, almost to the point of being naive about what could happen to him. He’s just such a good man, and he’s so sweet.” | “I think he’s going to be OK, I really do,” Prejean said. “He’s truly innocent, almost to the point of being naive about what could happen to him. He’s just such a good man, and he’s so sweet.” |
| Van Atta said he was annoyed by people who say Glossip has learned positivity as he faces execution. | Van Atta said he was annoyed by people who say Glossip has learned positivity as he faces execution. |
| “This is not a change in Richard. This is how he’s been ever since I’ve known him for 16 years,” Van Atta said. “He has not had some conversion experience to peacefulness in prison. This is who he is who he is at his core.” | “This is not a change in Richard. This is how he’s been ever since I’ve known him for 16 years,” Van Atta said. “He has not had some conversion experience to peacefulness in prison. This is who he is who he is at his core.” |
| Prejean and Van Atta both said they hope the case will be picked up by the supreme court. Prejean cited Justice Stephen Breyer’s dissent in the supreme court decision authorizing the use of midazolam and said: “There’s a new openness in the court.” | Prejean and Van Atta both said they hope the case will be picked up by the supreme court. Prejean cited Justice Stephen Breyer’s dissent in the supreme court decision authorizing the use of midazolam and said: “There’s a new openness in the court.” |
| “It may be the perfect case before the court that shows just how broken the death penalty is, and perhaps it can save other lives,” Prejean said. | “It may be the perfect case before the court that shows just how broken the death penalty is, and perhaps it can save other lives,” Prejean said. |
| Glossip was convicted twice of the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese at a Best Budget Inn in Oklahoma City, in large part on the testimony of Justin Sneed, a 19-year-old maintenance man who admitted to killing Van Treese but claimed Glossip was the mastermind behind the crime. Glossip’s attorneys have maintained that Sneed was coerced into implicating Glossip, stressing that it was interrogators who first introduced his name, and that Sneed received a lighter life sentence for his cooperation. | Glossip was convicted twice of the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese at a Best Budget Inn in Oklahoma City, in large part on the testimony of Justin Sneed, a 19-year-old maintenance man who admitted to killing Van Treese but claimed Glossip was the mastermind behind the crime. Glossip’s attorneys have maintained that Sneed was coerced into implicating Glossip, stressing that it was interrogators who first introduced his name, and that Sneed received a lighter life sentence for his cooperation. |
| In denying his attorney’s petitions on Monday, the court of appeals said new evidence unearthed by his supporters and new defense team did not significantly alter the narrative on which he was convicted by two separate juries, in 1998 and 2004. | In denying his attorney’s petitions on Monday, the court of appeals said new evidence unearthed by his supporters and new defense team did not significantly alter the narrative on which he was convicted by two separate juries, in 1998 and 2004. |
| Glossip’s attorneys’ latest appeal, filed with the Oklahoma court of criminal appeals on Tuesday, was a motion to reconsider their Monday decision. The attorneys asked the court to stay the execution while the justices weigh their arguments, and also suggested that one member of the panel, Judge Robert Hudson, “consider whether he should recuse himself” because he worked as first assistant to the attorney general while he was “actively advocating” to uphold Glossip’s conviction. | Glossip’s attorneys’ latest appeal, filed with the Oklahoma court of criminal appeals on Tuesday, was a motion to reconsider their Monday decision. The attorneys asked the court to stay the execution while the justices weigh their arguments, and also suggested that one member of the panel, Judge Robert Hudson, “consider whether he should recuse himself” because he worked as first assistant to the attorney general while he was “actively advocating” to uphold Glossip’s conviction. |
| Fallin, the state’s Republican governor, has indicated that the execution will go forward, barring intervention from the courts. | Fallin, the state’s Republican governor, has indicated that the execution will go forward, barring intervention from the courts. |
| “As I have said throughout the process, the role of my office is to follow the law and ensure justice is done. If a state or federal court grants Glossip a new trial or decides to delay his execution, I will respect that decision. If that does not happen, his execution will go forward on 30 September, which is the date set by the Oklahoma court of criminal appeals. | |
| “As always, my heart goes out to the family of Barry Van Treese, whose suffering has been made worse by uncertainty and delay.” | “As always, my heart goes out to the family of Barry Van Treese, whose suffering has been made worse by uncertainty and delay.” |