Washington – The Supreme Court ordered a new procedure against an inmate of Oklahoma Death Row on Tuesday, which was convicted of conspiracy to kill the owner of a motel that he admitted.
Richard Glossip's guilt has remained for decades.
The Supreme Court blocked its execution twice. The state's Attorney General said he also questioned Glossip.
In a 5: 3 decision, the judges put on his conviction and said Glossip could have been convicted of false statements by a young colleague, who said Glossip told him that he should kill the motel owner.
Justin Sneed, the main witness to Glossip, admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the murder in 1997. Sneed was convicted because he robbed the motel owner and had put it to death with a baseball bat. He serves life in prison.
Sneed was also treated by a psychiatrist when he said against Glossip, even though he denied it to maintain such treatment as he was asked.
This fact was not revealed during the process, even though it was known to the prosecutors.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointed to this wrong certificate as the basis To fall over the conviction.
Supreme judge John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson fully agreed.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett agreed that the conviction was incorrect, but said that she would send the case back to Oklahoma so that his judges would decide the next step.
Judge Clarence Thomas submitted a 44-page dissent, which of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.
The court's decision distorts “our responsibility and introduces itself to a constitutional impact that nobody took place,” wrote Thomas.
Judge Neil M. Gorsuch did not take part in the decision because he was at the Court of Appeal that the matter was considered earlier.
Don Knight, a lawyer from Glossip, described the decision “a victory for justice and fairness. We are grateful that a clear majority of the court supports many years of precedent that the prosecutors cannot hide critical evidence from defense lawyers and cannot be available while their witnesses knowingly lie to the jury. “
The judgment does not mean that glossip becomes free.
Prosecutors believe that glossip is behind the killing and they will be able to try again.
“Rich Glossip, who has retained his innocence for 27 years, will now get the chance to have the fair process that has always been refused,” said Knight.