Glossip Execution Put on Hold by Supreme Court

Richard Glossip Feb. 19, 2021(AP File)

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — “I was actually on death row with Richard Glossip and Lea today,” said Rep. Kevin McDugle. He says Richard Glossip was in a good mood Friday morning, and that was before anyone knew the Supreme Court was about to put a stay on his execution.

“Today was his last day for visitation before he’s put to death. So we visited with him, his spirits were high, everything was great when we met with him and I told him, I said, ‘Richard, this is not your last visitation day, I’m telling you right now, it’s not your last,'” he said.

An hour and a half later, word came down that the execution had been put on hold.

“I think that the Supreme Court sees issues, and they’re willing to stay the execution to take time to get it right. And I’m excited about that,” McDugle said.

“We signed a petition for him not to get executed, actually for him to get out of prison,” said Felicia Witherspoon, who is familiar with the criminal justice system herself.

Her sentence was commuted By Governor Fallin after a year and a half, and since that time she’s turned her life around; reuniting with her family, holding a steady job, and co-leading a 12 step program.

What are her thoughts on the death penalty?

“You know I don’t wish death on my worst enemy. I mean that ain’t up to us, that’s up to that man upstairs when he want to take you,” she said.

McDugle will continue to fight for Glossip, no matter what happens.

“If we kill Richard Glossip I will fight hard in Oklahoma to end the death penalty because it’s not just,” said Rep. McDugle.

As for what the Supreme Court might do next?

“There’s two things they could do, they could set a hearing date, but I doubt that they do. What they’ll probably most likely do is what they did in the Escobar case in Texas where they simply push it back to the court of criminal appeals and say, listen, you got it wrong, go ahead and try again. And then the court of criminal appeals will have to decide what they want to do from there,” he said.