Glossip has always maintained his innocence in the 1997 killing in Oklahoma City of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, in what prosecutors have alleged was a murder-for-hire scheme.

Another man, Justin Sneed, admitted robbing Van Treese and beating him to death with a baseball bat but testified he only did so after Glossip promised to pay him $10,000. Sneed received a life sentence in exchange for his testimony and was the key witness against Glossip.

But evidence that emerged only last year persuaded Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a Republican, that Glossip did not get a fair trial.

Among Drummond’s concerns are that prosecutors suppressed evidence about Sneed’s psychiatric condition that might have undermined his testimony. Drummond also has cited a box of evidence in the case that was destroyed that might have helped Glossip’s defense.

The court will be wrestling with two legal issues. The justices will consider whether Glossip’s rights were violated because the evidence wasn’t turned over. They also will weigh whether the Oklahoma court decision upholding the conviction and sentence, reached after the state’s position changed, should be allowed to stand.

Prosecutors in at least three other death penalty cases in Alabama and Texas have pushed for death row inmates to be given new trials or at least spared the prospect of being executed. The inmates are: Toforest Johnson in Alabama, and Melissa Lucio and Areli Escobar in Texas. In another similar case, the justices refused a last-minute reprieve for Marcellus Williams, whom Missouri executed last month.

The justices issued their most recent order blocking Glossip’s execution last year. They previously stopped his execution in 2015, then ruled against him by a 5-4 vote in upholding Oklahoma’s lethal injection process. He avoided execution then only because of a mix-up in the drugs that were to be used.

Glossip was initially convicted in 1998, but won a new trial ordered by a state appeals court. He was convicted again in 2004.

Two former solicitors general, Seth Waxman and Paul Clement, represent Glossip and Oklahoma, respectively, at the Supreme Court. Christopher Michel, an attorney appointed by the court, is defending the Oklahoma court ruling that Glossip should be put to death.

More than a half-dozen states also have weighed in on the case, asking the Supreme Court to uphold Glossip’s conviction, arguing that they have a “substantial interest” in federal-court respect for state-court decisions.

Justice Neil Gorsuch is sitting out the case, presumably because he took part in it at an earlier stage when he was an appeals court judge.

A decision is expected by early summer.

OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) – The bidding requirements to supply 55,000 Bibles to Oklahoma public schools has been amended following reports of the original requirements severely limiting Bibles that would qualify.

The original requirements stated the Bibles chosen would have to include American founding documents such as the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Bill of Rights. The Bibles would have had to also contain the Pledge of Allegiance.

However, now those qualifications have been amended to state those additional documents can now be provided separately from the Bible.

In addition, cost will now be a factor in awarding the bid, according to the new RFP.

The two Bibles many pointed to which met the original strict requirements were either endorsed or promoted by former-President Donald Trump.

The first was Lee Greenwood’s Bible titled, “God Bless the USA Bible” and it sells for $60 online. The second bible was the “We The People Bible” and it sells for almost $90 online.

Associated Press reported the changes were made to save taxpayer money.

Read our extensive coverage of Ryan Walters’ drive to bring Bibles to Oklahoma public schools below:

| READ: Bidding now open to supply Bibles to Oklahoma schools, Trump-endorsed Bible meets strict requirements |

| READ: Newly formed Oklahoma Freedom Caucus supports initiative placing bibles in classrooms |

| READ: Lawton House Representative weighs in on OSDE $3 million request for bibles |

| READ: Ryan Walters requests additional $3 million to supply bibles in Oklahoma classrooms |

| READ: Local legislators react to ‘Bibles in every classroom’ memo from state superintendent |

| READ: ‘Theocratic Leader’: State Superintendent says Bible will be in every Oklahoma classroom |

You can view the new RFP with the amendments below:

Copyright 2024 KSWO. All rights reserved.

OKLAHOMA (KXII) – Tribal youth programs can now apply for grant money from the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs.

More than $500,000 in grant money is available, in hopes of preventing delinquency among tribal youth.

The grants are intended for programs that honor indigenous traditions and work to help children in need.

A press release from the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs stated that the money is made possible through the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the money will go to agencies that work to strengthen youth development and combat truancy, substance use and other delinquent behaviors.

Organizations can apply here.

November 8 is the final day for programs to apply for grant money.

Copyright 2024 KXII. All rights reserved.