Killing Richard Glossip (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Death Watch - full transcript
Episode 4 delves into Oklahoma's history of botched executions. Glossip divulges his fear of suffering the same torturous fate as other inmates have, and forensic accountant Pam Kerr casts ...
WE'RE STEPS AWAY FROM
WHERE THEY WANT TO EXECUTE YOU.
I'VE BEEN STEPS
AWAY THERE THREE TIMES, SO...
AND THREE TIMES,
SO WHAT IS THAT LIKE?
IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE
BECAUSE I GUESS YOU HAVE
TO GO THROUGH IT
TO KNOW WHAT I DID
TO GET THE FEEL
OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE.
I THINK WHAT SCARES ME
THE MOST IS I TRUST
IN THIS SYSTEM
TO GET IT RIGHT,
AND TO GET THAT CLOSE
THREE DIFFERENT TIMES,
I'M SITTING THERE GOING,
"HOW CAN THEY GET THIS WRONG?"
I MEAN,
IT'S PLAIN AS DAY.
HOW COULD YOU
NOT SEE THE TRUTH?
**
IN OKLAHOMA,
DEATH ROW INMATE RICHARD GLOSSIP
IS LIVING ON BORROWED TIME.
ALREADY, HE'S BEEN
ON THE BRINK OF EXECUTION
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.
NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THE STATE IS
PREPARING TO PUT HIM TO DEATH,
ON CHARGES OF HIRING ANOTHER MAN
TO COMMIT MURDER.
BUT FAR TOO MANY TROUBLING
QUESTIONS SWIRL AROUND HIS CASE.
I'M NOT IN THIS THING, MAN!
I'M REALLY NOT.
I'M JOE BERLINGER.
AS A DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER,
I'VE SPENT MY CAREER SHINING
A LIGHT ON STORIES OF INJUSTICE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
THEY'RE READY TO KILL THIS GUY.
I THINK IT'S
A REAL BAD DEAL.
AS GLOSSIP'S LAWYERS SEARCH
FOR NEW EVIDENCE...
EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH
HAPPENED RIGHT HERE.
...TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
DID THE SYSTEM GET IT WRONG
WITH RICHARD GLOSSIP?
IT'S AN INNOCENT MAN
WHO'S GONNA BE EXECUTED
IF WE DON'T DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW.
WE ARE THE LAST, BEST
CHANCE THAT RICH HAS,
AND WE HAVE TO SUCCEED,
BECAUSE IF WE FAIL,
HE DIES.
WHY IS OKLAHOMA SO HELL-BENT
ON KILLING RICHARD GLOSSIP?
**
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE
TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR SITUATION.
YOU'VE BEEN IN PRISON
HOW LONG NOW?
19 YEARS.
19 YEARS.
LIKE I SAID ALL ALONG,
FROM DAY 1,
THAT I WAS INNOCENT OF THIS,
AND I'VE FOUGHT AND FOUGHT.
PEOPLE IN THIS STATE,
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY,
AND PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
HAVE SEEN FOR THEMSELVES
EVERYTHING
THAT'S OUT THERE,
AND THEY ALL COME
TO THE SAME CONCLUSION --
HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN
TO SOMEBODY?
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
SENT TO DEATH ROW IN 1998.
BETWEEN THAT TIME AND 2014,
WHEN GLOSSIP FIRST
BECAME ELIGIBLE FOR EXECUTION,
THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
HAD ALREADY
PUT 99 INMATES TO DEATH.
THROUGHOUT THOSE 16 YEARS,
GLOSSIP HAS CONSISTENTLY
MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE.
IF TRULY INNOCENT,
GLOSSIP'S ORDEAL ON DEATH ROW
HAS GIVEN HIM
A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
ON OKLAHOMA'S KILLING MACHINERY.
**
ON APRIL 14th, 2014,
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
LINED UP TWO EXECUTIONS
IN ONE DAY.
BOTH INMATES WERE SCHEDULED
TO DIE BEFORE RICHARD GLOSSIP.
CLAYTON LOCKETT,
CONVICTED OF MURDER,
WAS SCHEDULED TO DIE AT 6 P.M.
CHARLES WARNER,
WHO WAS CONVICTED OF RAPING
AND MURDERING AN
11-MONTH-OLD BABY, WOULD FOLLOW.
WELL, IN CLAYTON LOCKETT'S CASE,
I REPRESENTED HIM FOR 11 YEARS
AT THE TIME HE WAS EXECUTED.
THE BLINDS WERE OPENED
AT APPROXIMATELY 6:23.
WE CAN'T SEE ANYTHING
OF MR. LOCKETT OTHER
THAN THE TOP OF HIS SHOULDERS
AND HIS HEAD.
MR. LOCKETT SAID HE DID NOT HAVE
ANY LAST WORDS,
AND SHE SIGNALED
THE EXECUTION TO PROCEED.
AFTER THEY HIT HIM
WITH THE DRUGS
THAT ARE SUPPOSED
TO STOP THE HEART,
HE BEGAN TO WRITHE ON THE GURNEY
FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT
7, 8, 9 MINUTES.
WITH EVIDENT GREAT
PHYSICAL EFFORT,
LIFTED HIS SHOULDERS
AND HIS HEAD OFF OF THE GURNEY.
I HEARD DISTINCTLY
THAT HE SAID AT ONE POINT,
"MAN."
MIDAZOLAM, WHICH WAS
THE ALLEGED SEDATIVE,
IS NOT DESIGNED
FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS USED.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT SEDATED
OR ANESTHETIZED,
AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE WAS
IN A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN.
SO, THAT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
HE WAS BASICALLY
BEING TORTURED.
THERE WAS THE HOPE,
ON OUR PART ANYWAY,
THAT MEDICAL PERSONNEL THERE
WOULD ATTEMPT TO COUNTERACT
THE EFFECT OF THE DRUGS
AND REVIVE HIM.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS
THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED
IS THEY JUST WAITED AROUND
FOR HIM TO DIE,
AND HE EVENTUALLY EXPIRED
OF A HEART ATTACK.
MR. LOCKETT'S CASE,
IT WAS ONE SET OF INCOMPETENT
ACTIONS AFTER ANOTHER,
AND IT WAS A TOTAL DISASTER --
COMPLETE DISASTER.
NEWS OF LOCKETT'S
BOTCHED EXECUTION
PUT A HARSH SPOTLIGHT
ON THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR,
MARY FALLIN,
HAS ORDERED AN INDEPENDENT PROBE
INTO THE STATE'S
EXECUTION PROCEDURES,
COMING AFTER TUESDAY'S
BOTCHED EXECUTION
OF INMATE CLAY LOCKETT.
IN THE WAKE
OF THE BOTCHED EXECUTION,
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
REVISED ITS
LETHAL-INJECTION PROTOCOLS.
WE IMPROVED THE LIGHTING
AS WELL AS THE SOUND SYSTEM
THAT WE HAVE IN HERE.
THESE CHANGES MOVE
CHARLES WARNER
AND RICHARD GLOSSIP CLOSER
TO THEIR IMPENDING EXECUTIONS.
RICHARD GLOSSIP'S LEGAL APPEALS
WERE EXHAUSTED,
BUT HE HAD ONE
MORE CHANCE FOR SALVATION --
A CLEMENCY HEARING IN FRONT
OF THE OKLAHOMA PARDON
AND PAROLE BOARD.
I THINK THOSE PEOPLE
IN CLEMENCY,
THEY WERE WAITING
FOR AN APOLOGY.
THEY WERE WAITING FOR RICH TO,
AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS,
SAY, YOU KNOW,
"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME,"
AND SORT OF BEG FOR HIS LIFE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY
I'M TRULY SORRY
FOR WHAT HAPPENED
TO MR. VAN TREESE,
BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY
THAT I DID NOT PLAN
AND I DID NOT PARTICIPATE
IN THE DEATH
OF MR. VAN TREESE.
HE'S SAYING, "LOOK --
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CLEMENCY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED
IN SOME PARDON
FROM DEATH ROW RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T BELONG IN PRISON.
I DON'T BELONG
IN PRISON AT ALL."
PROSECUTORS
AND FAMILY MEMBERS TESTIFIED
IN FAVOR OF THE EXECUTION
AND MADE A POINT OF REAFFIRMING
THE EVIDENCE OF EMBEZZLEMENT.
THE MOTIVE GOES STRAIGHT BACK
TO RICHARD GLOSSIP,
AND THAT'S WHAT
THE COURTS HAVE FOUND.
THAT'S WHAT
THE PROOF SHOWS.
GLOSSIP HAD
$1,700 CASH ON HIM,
$1,200 OF WHICH
CAN NOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR
THROUGH LAWFUL MEANS,
AND DONNA VAN TREESE TESTIFIED
TO THE SHORTAGES
ON THE BOOKS.
IT'S ABOUT $6,100.
I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I WAS THE FIRST WITNESS
AT BOTH OF THE TRIALS
BECAUSE I HAD BEEN
HIS BUSINESS PARTNER
AS WELL AS HIS SPOUSE
FOR 18 YEARS.
IF ANYBODY
EVER DESERVED TO BE EXECUTED,
RICHARD GLOSSIP DESERVES IT.
LET'S PUT THIS DEAL TO BED.
IT'S YOUR DECISION.
GOD BLESS YOU.
CALL FOR THE VOTE.
MRS. BRYCE?
NO.
MY VOTE IS NO.
AND THEY SAID NO
ON A FIVE-TO-NOTHING VOTE,
AND SO HIS CLEMENCY PROCESS
WAS OVER,
AND ONCE THAT'S OVER,
THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.
THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO WAS
TO SET AN EXECUTION DATE.
ALL RIGHT,
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION DATE WAS SET
FOR JANUARY 29th, 2015,
BUT FIRST, THERE WAS
ANOTHER INMATE TO EXECUTE
BEFORE THEY COULD
KILL RICHARD GLOSSIP.
AND WE BEGIN TONIGHT AT 10
WITH OKLAHOMA'S FIRST EXECUTION
SINCE A LETHAL INJECTION
WENT AWRY IN APRIL.
CHARLES WARNER WAS
PRONOUNCED DEAD
AT 7:28 P.M. THIS EVENING.
COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
WITH CLAYTON LOCKETT,
THIS WAS
A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
SO, THE PATH WAS CLEAR.
GLOSSIP WOULD BE EXECUTED
IN TWO WEEKS.
**
WE'RE ON OUR WAY
TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.
I LOVE CLERKS,
AND I LOVE DOCUMENTS.
YOU CAN'T
CROSS-EXAMINE A DOCUMENT.
WITH TIME RUNNING
SHORT FOR GLOSSIP'S LEGAL TEAM
TO GET BACK INTO COURT,
THE PRESSURE IS ON
INVESTIGATOR QUINN O'BRIEN
TO UNCOVER NEW EVIDENCE.
HER FOCUS TODAY IS MONEY,
SPECIFICALLY
THE FINANCIAL DEALINGS
OF THE VICTIM, BARRY VAN TREESE.
BARRY VAN TREESE IS
THE NAME OF THE PERSON
THAT I'M RESEARCHING TODAY.
B- A-R-R-Y?
LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND.
GIVE US A SECOND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE FIRST CASE IS
RIGHT HERE.
THE SECOND CASE
WAS DESTROYED.
SMALL CLAIMS
WAS DESTROYED.
OKAY.
THESE RECORDS SHOW
THAT BARRY VAN TREESE HAD DEBTS
AND THAT PEOPLE
BROUGHT HIM HERE TO COURT,
TO CIVIL COURT,
TO RECOVER THOSE DEBTS.
AND I FOUND SOME TAX LIENS
AGAINST THE BEST BUDGET INN
FOR DELINQUENT TAXES.
THESE DOCUMENTS ARE GOING TO
START TO PUT TOGETHER A PICTURE
OF THE FINANCES
OF BARRY VAN TREESE,
CORROBORATE WHAT SOME OF
OUR WITNESSES HAVE BEEN SAYING.
IF BARRY VAN TREESE
WAS INDEED FACING TAX PROBLEMS,
IT WOULD HELP TO EXPLAIN
WHY HE MIGHT BE HOARDING CASH
AND OPEN UP
A FRESH SET OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT HOW MONEY PLAYED INTO
THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE KILLINGS.
I'M JUST RESEARCHING
A COUPLE OF ADDRESSES.
THE FIRST ONE IS...
AS AN INVESTIGATOR,
EVERY TIME I GET
A NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION,
I ADD A HUNDRED NEW QUESTIONS
TO MY INVESTIGATION,
AND EVERY TIME I HAVE ANSWERED
ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS,
IT'S BEEN IN RICHARD'S FAVOR.
IN JANUARY OF 2015,
RICHARD GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION DATE
WAS FAST APPROACHING.
HE WAS DEEP INTO
THE BRUTAL 35-DAY PROTOCOL
ON DEATH WATCH,
AND HIS SENSE OF DESPERATION
WAS GROWING DAY BY DAY.
You have 60 seconds remaining.
AS THE EXECUTION DATE
GREW CLOSER,
SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
MARCHED PROTESTERS
INTO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
AT THE STATE CAPITAL, IT
COULD BE CALLED A FINAL STAND.
A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE FIGHTING
FOR A MAN'S FATE
THAT'S BEEN ALL BUT SEALED.
SISTER HELEN CALLED ATTENTION
TO RICHARD GLOSSIP'S NEW ROLE
AS THE LEAD PLAINTIFF
IN A SUPREME COURT CASE
CHALLENGING OKLAHOMA'S USE
OF THE CONTROVERSIAL LETHAL
INJECTION DRUG, MIDAZOLAM.
HER GOAL WAS TO STOP
GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION
WHILE A TEAM OF PUBLIC DEFENDERS
ARGUED THE CASE.
YES!
RICHARD'S GOING TO LIVE,
AND, GOD,
IT'S SO HAPPY IN THERE.
EVERYBODY'S TALKING AT ONE TIME.
HELEN SAVED HIS LIFE
IN JANUARY,
BECAUSE THEY KILLED
CHARLES WARNER,
AND THEY HAD
RICH ALL SET TO GO.
HELEN GOT INVOLVED,
AND SUDDENLY,
THE MEDIA WAS ON IT.
AND THE SUPREME COURT
DECIDED TO GRANT THAT STAY.
IT'S JUST ALL HAPPY, ALL JOYFUL.
THE MOOD WAS MUCH
DIFFERENT AT THE STATE HOUSE.
WHEN IT COMES TO
THE RICHARD GLOSSIP CASE,
HE'S BEEN FOUND GUILTY.
HE'S BEEN FOUND GUILTY
ON APPEAL.
THERE'S BEEN NO PROBLEMS
FOUND WITH THE ACTUAL TRIALS.
OUT OF CONCERN
THAT THE SUPREME COURT
WOULD OUTLAW OKLAHOMA'S
LETHAL-INJECTION SYSTEM,
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
JOHN PAUL JORDAN COSPONSORED
A BILL TO GIVE HIS STATE
AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS
OF PUTTING INMATES
LIKE RICHARD GLOSSIP TO DEATH.
MEMBERS,
HOUSE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
MEMBERS, HOUSE BILL 1879 OFFERS
AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD
FOR ADMINISTERING
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN OKLAHOMA.
AN ENVIRONMENT OVERLY ENRICHED
WITH NITROGEN
WILL LACK THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL
OF OXYGEN
NECESSARY FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL.
NITROGEN HYPOXIA,
ESSENTIALLY IT'S TAKING A MASK.
IT'S HAVING THEM
BREATHE IN NITROGEN.
ANYONE CAN ADMINISTER IT.
BASICALLY,
THEY CLOSE THEIR EYES,
THEY GO INTO A EUPHORIC STATE,
AND THEN THEY'RE GONE.
THE BILL PASSED
BY A WIDE MARGIN...
I DECLARE THE BILL
TO HAVE PASSED.
...AND GOVERNOR FALLIN
QUICKLY SIGNED IT INTO LAW.
THREE MONTHS LATER,
THE SUPREME COURT ISSUED
ITS RULING SAYING
IN EFFECT THAT OKLAHOMA
WAS FREE TO USE MIDAZOLAM
TO LETHALLY INJECT
RICHARD GLOSSIP.
OKLAHOMA OFFICIALS
MOVED QUICKLY.
THEY SET SEPTEMBER 16th
AS GLOSSIP'S SECOND DATE
WITH THE DEATH CHAMBER.
SO, THERE'S NOTHING
TO STAND IN THE WAY NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ISSUE
OF THE DRUGS.
THEY HAD JUST SAID,
"YEAH, THE DRUGS ARE FINE."
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY SAVE HIM?
AND THEN I CALLED SUSAN,
AND THEN SUSAN AND I TOGETHER,
WE DID THE MEDIA THING.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE LIFE
OF OKLAHOMA DEATH ROW
INMATE RICHARD GLOSSIP
IS GAINING MOMENTUM.
TOMORROW, DR. PHIL IS TAKING ON
THE CASE OF GLOSSIP,
AND HE'S BRINGING IN ACTRESS
SUSAN SARANDON FOR THE DEBATE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR CLEMENCY,
BUT JUST A STAY TO BE ABLE
TO PRESENT
THIS OTHER INFORMATION
THAT PEOPLE HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
I READ A LETTER FROM RICHARD
WHICH WAS VERY UPSETTING.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
PLEASE KNOW THAT
I AM PRAYING FOR YOU ALL.
HE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE CASE
ON THE AIR,
AND THE WHOLE TIME,
THE AUDIENCE WAS JUST
SHAKING THEIR HEADS LIKE,
"HOW COULD THIS BE?"
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
FAST BECOMING THE POSER CHILD
FOR ABOLISHING
THE DEATH PENALTY,
BUT ALL THAT PUBLICITY SEEMED
TO DO LITTLE FOR DON KNIGHT
AND HIS EFFORTS
TO EXONERATE HIS CLIENT.
IT WAS A VERY,
VERY FRANTIC SUMMER.
WE USED THAT TIME
TO GO GET MORE WITNESSES,
AND I HAD TO TELL THEM,
"IF YOU SIGN THIS AFFIDAVIT,
YOUR NAME IS GOING
TO BE PART OF THIS CASE."
EACH OF THEM HAD
RESERVATIONS ABOUT THAT.
IT WAS ALMOST
AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
THEN,
11 DAYS BEFORE HIS CLIENT'S
IMPENDING EXECUTION,
DON KNIGHT FINALLY GOT A BREAK.
NOW, LATE THIS AFTERNOON,
GLOSSIP'S ATTORNEYS
INTRODUCED NEW EVIDENCE
IN HOPES TO PROVE
THEIR CLIENT'S INNOCENCE.
THEY'RE AFFIDAVITS FROM
JUSTIN SNEED'S FORMER CELLMATES.
DETAILED IN THOSE DOCUMENTS,
MICHAEL G. SCOTT SAID,
"I CLEARLY HEARD JUSTIN
SNEED SAY THAT,
IN HIS STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONY,
HE SET RICHARD GLOSSIP UP,
AND THAT RICHARD GLOSSIP
DID NOT DO ANYTHING."
MICHAEL SCOTT SAW US
ON "DR. PHIL,"
AND HE REACHED OUT
AND CALLED OUR OFFICE.
HE WAS BRAVE. HE WAS BRAVE.
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME FORWARD.
BUT THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WITH DAVID PRATER
DECIDED THAT IT WASN'T
GOING TO BE OKAY
FOR MICHAEL SCOTT TO HELP US.
**
ON THE EVE OF
THE SECOND EXECUTION,
WE DID A PRESS CONFERENCE.
THIS WAS AT THE TIME
WHEN WE FILED OUR INFORMATION
WITH THE OKLAHOMA COURT
OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
AND SAID WE WANTED A HEARING.
IT WAS A VERY WELL-ATTENDED
PRESS CONFERENCE.
I MEAN, THERE WERE PEOPLE
FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
BUT I COULD SEE PRATER
IN THE BACK,
AND HE WAS ANGRY.
THIS IS CRAP.
THIS IS A **** P.R. CAMPAIGN.
THAT'S ALL IT IS.
IF IT WAS
A **** P.R. CAMPAIGN,
I GUESS I WOULDN'T HAVE
BROUGHT AN AFFIDAVIT WITH ME.
SEPTEMBER 16th,
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
IN THE FINAL HOLDING CELL
ON DEATH WATCH.
HE WAS PREPPED FOR EXECUTION,
SERVED HIS LAST MEAL,
AND JUST HOURS AWAY FROM DEATH.
DON KNIGHT WAS NEARBY WAITING,
HOPING THAT OKLAHOMA'S
HIGHEST COURT
WOULD GRANT HIM A HEARING
TO PRESENT HIS NEW EVIDENCE.
WE WAITED AND WAITED.
AT NOON THERE CAME A KNOCK
ON THE LITTLE DOOR WE WERE IN,
AND THE GUARD POKED
HIS HEAD IN AND SAID
THERE'D BEEN A STAY
THAT HAD BEEN GRANTED.
IT WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST
MOMENTS OF MY LIFE
TO THINK WE DID IT,
WE GOT THIS MAN A STAY.
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS SAY
MICHAEL SCOTT
WAS ARRESTED BY DEPUTIES
WITH GUNS DRAWN
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
AT THE POLICE STATION,
MR. SCOTT, STILL IN HANDCUFFS,
WAS PLACED IN A CHAIR
IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM,
AND OKLAHOMA DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DAVID PRATER
ENTERED THE ROOM AND
BEGAN INTERROGATING MR. SCOTT.
THEY TELL HIM THEY WANT HIM
TO RECANT WHAT HE SAID,
THAT IT'S NOT TRUE. THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO CHARGE HIM,
AND THEY'RE GOING
TO THROW HIM IN JAIL
IF HE DOESN'T RECANT EXACTLY
WHAT HE SAID IN THE AFFIDAVIT.
AFTER WE HAD IDENTIFIED
MICHAEL SCOTT
AS A WITNESS IN OUR CASE,
THEY SMEARED HIM.
SOMEBODY GAVE
PRIVILEGED DOCUMENTATION
TO THE NEWSPAPER THE OKLAHOMAN,
AND THE OKLAHOMAN RAN IT
ON THEIR FRONT PAGE
WITH A PICTURE OF MICHAEL SCOTT.
THEY SAID, "HERE'S A MAN
WHO HAS A HISTORY OF LYING."
THERE WAS NO REASON
FOR ANYBODY TO DO THAT.
THERE WAS NO REASON
FOR THE OKLAHOMAN TO DO THAT.
I RECEIVED A DOCUMENT
THAT WAS MICHAEL SCOTT'S
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
WHEN HE ENTERED
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
I, UNFORTUNATELY,
I CAN'T TELL YOU
WHERE I GOT THAT DOCUMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ALLEGATIONS
HAVE BEEN MADE WHERE I GOT IT,
BUT I JUST CAN'T COMMENT
ON THAT. I'M SORRY.
NO COMMENT.
AFTER ALL OF
THE LAST MINUTE LEGAL BATTLING
AND THE ENSUING MEDIA FIRESTORM,
THE OKLAHOMA COURT
OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
HAD REACHED ITS DECISION.
THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HEAR
FROM DON KNIGHT'S NEW WITNESSES,
INCLUDING MICHAEL SCOTT.
GLOSSIP'S PETITION
FOR AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING
WAS DENIED BY
A VOTE OF THREE TO TWO.
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
GOING TO BE EXECUTED.
HERE AT THE OKLAHOMA
STATE PENITENTIARY,
WE ARE STILL HOURS
AHEAD OF THE ANTICIPATED
TIME OF EXECUTION
FOR INMATE RICHARD GLOSSIP.
OF COURSE, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT RICHARD GLOSSIP.
HE IS EXPECTED TO DIE TODAY
AT 3 P.M.
ON SEPTEMBER 30th, 2015,
AFTER TWICE COMING
WITHIN HOURS OF DEATH,
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS AGAIN
SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED
BY LETHAL INJECTION.
THE OKLAHOMA COURT OF APPEALS
HAD DENIED HIS LAWYER'S PETITION
TO PRESENT NEW WITNESSES,
SO GLOSSIP'S ONLY HOPE
FOR COMING OUT ALIVE
WAS A LEGAL MIRACLE --
A STAY FROM
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
I WAS BROUGHT IN
WITH THE WITNESSES
INTO THIS LITTLE HOLDING PLACE.
YOU'RE BROUGHT IN AT 12:30.
HE'S GOING TO BE EXECUTED AT 3,
AND YOU START WAITING.
BY MIDDAY,
GLOSSIP'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS
HAD GATHERED ALONGSIDE
DOZENS OF REPORTERS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
WHO ALL CAME TO DOCUMENT
AN EXECUTION
NEARLY 19 YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AS WE WERE DRIVING
OUT TO McALESTER,
IT'S ABOUT A TWO-HOUR
DRIVE FROM OKLAHOMA CITY,
AND I HAD A HARD TIME THINKING
I COULD WITNESS AN EXECUTION
OF POSSIBLY AN INNOCENT PERSON.
THEY SHUT DOWN THE PRISON.
BASICALLY, YOU CAN'T COME IN
OR OUT AFTER A CERTAIN POINT.
I WAS WITH THE MEDIA, AND
WE'RE ALL KIND OF SEQUESTERED
IN THIS LITTLE FAMILY,
SORT OF, VISITATION ROOM
AND JUST SORT OF WAITING.
MEANWHILE, INSIDE THE PRISON,
THEY'RE PREPPING
THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
DON KNIGHT WAS
ANXIOUSLY AWAITING WORD
FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
TO SEE IF THEY WOULD
OVERTURN OKLAHOMA'S DECISION
AND GIVE GLOSSIP ANOTHER SHOT
IN FRONT OF A JUDGE.
A LAST MINUTE PLEA TO SPARE
THE LIFE OF RICHARD GLOSSIP,
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DENIED
THAT STAY IN A VOTE
OF EIGHT TO ONE.
IT WILL GO ON AS SCHEDULED.
THEY'RE JUST GOING TO KILL HIM
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF
RICH'S FAMILY MEMBERS OUTSIDE,
AND I HAD TO GO OVER
AND TELL THEM
THAT THE SUPREME COURT
HAD TURNED US DOWN
AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING MORE
THAT WE COULD DO.
THAT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE HIS SISTERS
OR BROTHERS, AND WE WERE JUST
GOING TO DEFEND HIM
NO MATTER WHAT,
BUT IT WAS HORRIBLE.
I DON'T EVER WANT TO FEEL
LIKE THAT AGAIN.
EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T
SUCCESSFUL IN COURT,
EVERYONE KNOWS, THE WORLD KNOWS,
THAT RICHARD GLOSSIP IS
INNOCENT.
THAT WAS A REALLY, REALLY HARD,
HARD MOMENT FOR ME.
EVERYTHING WAS MOVING FORWARD,
AND RICHARD GLOSSIP SHOULD HAVE
BEEN PUT TO DEATH AT 3:00.
EVERYONE OUTSIDE OF THAT
PRISON, WE WERE JUST WAITING.
IT WAS HORRIBLE, I MEAN,
TO KNOW THAT YOUR FATHER
OR YOUR BROTHER WAS,
AT THAT MOMENT,
BEING TAKEN FROM HIS CELL
AND STRAPPED TO A GURNEY
AND POISON WAS GOING TO BE
INJECTED INTO HIS VEINS.
SO, IT'S, LIKE,
GETTING TO BE LATE AFTERNOON,
AND EVERYBODY IN THE MEDIA ROOM
IS LIKE, "WHAT IS GOING ON?"
AND THERE STARTS
TO BE THIS SORT OF PANIC.
I'M LOOKING UP
CLOSE AT MY WATCH.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR 3:00.
I THOUGHT FOR SURE
RICHARD WAS DEAD.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME,
I SAW AN AMBULANCE DRIVE UP,
AND I THOUGHT, "MY GOD.
THAT'S THE CAR
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE HIM AWAY."
AND NOW WE ARE GETTING WORD
THAT THERE HAS BEEN
A STAY OF EXECUTION GRANTED
BY GOVERNOR MARY FALLIN.
AGAIN,
THIS IS A MAN WHO'S ALREADY HAD
HIS LAST MEALS TWICE.
IT'S A STAY FROM SOME
LETHAL-INJECTION ISSUE.
SOMETHING ABOUT OBTAINING
ANOTHER DRUG
TO DO THE EXECUTION.
IT WAS LIKE LAZARUS, YOU KNOW,
COMING BACK FROM THE DEAD,
BECAUSE LITERALLY, WE HAD
THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD 45 MINUTES.
WE WERE JUST THRILLED
THAT HE WAS ALIVE, OKAY?
I MEAN, I WAS ABSOLUTELY
THRILLED THAT HE WAS ALIVE,
BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY.
WE ARE JUST NOW LEARNING,
WITHIN THE LAST FEW MINUTES,
THAT THIS MAYBE A CASE OF A
COMPLETELY ABSENTMINDED MIX-UP.
THEY HAD POTASSIUM ACETATE.
IT WAS THE WRONG DRUG.
IT'S A FOOD PRESERVATIVE.
IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE
A RICHARD GLOSSIP PRESERVATIVE
BECAUSE HE'S NOT DEAD
BECAUSE THEY MESSED IT UP.
JESUS, WE THANK YOU.
WE PRAISE YOU FOR THIS DAY, GOD.
WE PRAISE YOU
FOR THIS WONDERFUL NEWS.
HERE'S TO YOU, RICKY.
**
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING
THE STORM OF CONTROVERSY
THAT ERUPTED
AFTER THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
NEARLY KILLED RICHARD GLOSSIP
WITH THE WRONG DRUGS,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
SCOTT PRUITT,
ISSUED A MORATORIUM
ON NEW EXECUTIONS.
WITHIN WEEKS, PRUITT
CALLED A SPECIAL GRAND JURY
TO INVESTIGATE THE ACTIONS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
IT'S JUST AFTER 2:00
THIS AFTERNOON,
AND WE HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR THIS GRAND-JURY REPORT
TO BE FILED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SEVEN MONTHS
OF AN INVESTIGATION.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
INVOLVED IN THE ALLEGATIONS
THAT, YOU KNOW,
THEY GOT THE WRONG DRUG,
THEY'VE ALL LEFT,
AND SO, IT'S GOING
TO BE TESTIMONY
FROM ROBERT PATTON,
THE FORMER HEAD OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS,
WHO HAS SINCE RESIGNED,
ALSO ANITA TRAMMEL,
THE WARDEN AT THE STATE PEN,
WHO ALSO RESIGNED,
AND SOME FOLKS INSIDE
GOVERNOR MARY FALLIN'S OFFICE
WHO WE UNDERSTAND ALSO TESTIFIED
IN FRONT OF THE GRAND JURY.
**
THE GRAND JURY
HAS FINISHED ITS WORK,
AND THE PRESS IS DETERMINED
TO GET THEIR HANDS
ON THE STATE'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
GUYS, IF YOU JUST MIND
WAITING RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
ANY SOONER
IF WE'RE ALL STANDING RIGHT HERE
AT THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW.
PLEASE?
HERE'S WHAT
THE GRAND JURY FOUND.
DIRECTOR PATTON CHANGED
THE EXECUTION PROTOCOL
WITHOUT AUTHORITY,
THE PHARMACIST
ORDERED THE WRONG DRUGS,
THERE WAS NO INSPECTION
OF THE DRUGS,
AND WARDEN ANITA TRAMMEL
DIDN'T NOTIFY ANYONE.
THE DEATH ROW CHIEF
DIDN'T NOTICE THE WRONG DRUGS,
AND THE GOVERNOR'S
TOP ATTORNEY ADVOCATED
TO PROCEED
IN GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION
WITH THE WRONG DRUGS.
AND WHEN THE GRAND-JURY REPORT
WAS PRESENTED IN COURT TODAY,
THE JUDGE SAID, "IT'S TIME
TO GET THE MONKEY BUSINESS
AT THE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS UNDER CONTROL."
AS FAR AS THE EXECUTION DRUGS,
THE GRAND JURY
DID RECOMMEND WE CHANGE
OUR EXECUTION METHOD
TO NITROGEN HYPOXIA.
IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WAS
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION'S
ATTORNEY CALLED THE GOVERNOR
AND SAID,
"LOOK, GUYS,
WE HAVE THE WRONG DRUG."
IT APPEARS THAT
THE GENERAL COUNSEL
FOR GOVERNOR FALLIN,
STEVE MULLIN, SAID, "GO AHEAD.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME DRUG,"
AND THEN LITERALLY SAYS,
"GOOGLE IT,"
IN THIS GRAND-JURY REPORT
AS TO WHAT HE SAID.
SO, THE BIG NEWS HEADLINE TODAY
IS EVERYONE AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
TO PEOPLE
AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
REALLY MESSED UP IN 2015,
BUT NO ONE GOT INDICTED,
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO, NO ONE IS GOING TO BE
CHARGED WITH A CRIME
IN THIS CASE,
AND NOW THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING
AGAIN FOR GLOSSIP.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD
A QUESTION IN YOUR MIND
ABOUT THAT GRAND-JURY REPORT.
WELL, I HAD
A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY.
THEY'RE DONE
INVESTIGATING YOUR CASE.
THAT REPORT IS IT.
THERE WON'T BE
ANYMORE GRAND-JURY INVESTIGATION
INTO YOUR CASE.
SO, WHAT'S NEXT?
WHAT'S THAT?
WELL, THAT'S
A GOOD QUESTION.
WITH THE CONTROVERSY
SURROUNDING OKLAHOMA'S
EXECUTION PROTOCOL DYING DOWN,
STATE OFFICIALS BEGIN
THE PROCESS OF ONCE AGAIN
REBUILDING THEIR
LETHAL-INJECTION SYSTEM.
GLOSSIP WILL BE
THE NEXT INMATE TO DIE
IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
IT COULD HAPPEN AS SOON
AS THE SUMMER OF 2017.
HIS LEGAL TEAM HAS USED
THIS SHORT WINDOW OF TIME
TO POUR THROUGH OLD FILES,
REVISIT THE CRIME SCENE,
AND DIG UP WITNESSES
THE POLICE AND PROSECUTION
NEVER ATTEMPTED TO REACH.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAD
BACK TO THE HOTEL.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK
TO A FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT
WHO IS SOMEONE WE'VE HIRED
TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE EXHIBITS
AND INFORMATION
THAT WAS AVAILABLE
FOR TRIAL COUNSEL.
THE ALLEGATION IS
THAT HE STOLE $6,100.
PROSECUTORS FRAME THEIR CASE
AROUND A PRIMARY MOTIVE --
MONEY.
BUT DID GLOSSIP REALLY
EMBEZZLE $6,100 FROM THE MOTEL,
AND DID HE ACTUALLY
SPLIT $4,000 WITH JUSTIN SNEED
AFTER THE MURDER?
WE LOOK AT THE FACTS, I
MEAN, THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION,
AND WE DON'T REALLY
COME UP WITH AN OPINION.
WE COME UP WITH
A PRESENTATION OF THE FACTS.
PAM KERR IS ONE OF
THE LEADING FORENSIC ACCOUNTANTS
IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT WHAT I WOULD WANT TO KNOW
AS A DEFENSE LAWYER IS,
"WELL, IS THIS TRUE,"
BECAUSE IF THERE
IS NO EMBEZZLEMENT,
THEN THE WHOLE IDEA
THAT HE KILLED BARRY
BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF BEING
CAUGHT IN AN EMBEZZLEMENT
JUST SIMPLY GOES OUT
THE WINDOW, DOESN'T IT?
EXACTLY. OKAY.
SO, THE VERY FIRST DOCUMENT
IS THE DAILY REPORT.
THAT TELLS YOU WHAT YOU
THE SALES FOR THE DAY
AND THE CASH THAT YOU WOULD HAVE
COLLECTED FOR THE DAY.
OKAY, THE SECOND DOCUMENT
IS THIS DAILY-SALES REPORT
WHICH HAS THE AMOUNT OF CASH
THAT SHOULD BE DEPOSITED.
THIS IS EXACTLY
WHAT WOULD TELL SOMEBODY
EVERY SINGLE DAY
IF SOMEBODY IS STEALING.
AND THOSE FACTS SHOW
THAT THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS OF MONEY
COLLECTED AND REPORTED
BY RICHARD GLOSSIP
AT THE BEST BUDGET INN
MATCH THE HANDWRITTEN RECORDS
KEPT BY BARRY VAN TREESE
IN HIS MAKESHIFT BANK
IN THE TRUNK OF HIS CAR.
THE TOTAL FOR OCTOBER 23rd
UNDER DEPOSIT IS $450.
RIGHT UP HERE.
THE SAME NUMBER UP HERE.
YEP, THE EXACT
SAME NUMBER.
THE NEXT NUMBER IS $585.
RIGHT.
$1,552.
RIGHT.
$660.
RIGHT.
$515.
RIGHT.
PAM KERR PUT BOTH SETS
OF NUMBERS INTO A SPREADSHEET
AND MAKES A DISCOVERY
THAT GLOSSIP'S ORIGINAL LAWYERS
NEVER EVEN EXPLORED.
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN WHAT WAS TO BE DEPOSITED
AND WHAT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN DEPOSITED.
ZERO. ZERO.
IT'S POWERFUL NEW EVIDENCE
THAT COULD HAVE DESTROYED
THE STATE'S CASE AT TRIAL.
ESSENTIALLY, WHAT
DONNA VAN TREESE SAYS IS,
"I CALCULATED ALL OF THIS STUFF
AT THE END OF THE YEAR,
AND I SHOW THAT RICH WAS
EMBEZZLING $6,100 FROM US."
DONNA VAN TREESE'S
COMPUTATION
IS AN AVERAGE
DAILY RENTAL
TIMES THE NUMBER OF ROOMS
FOR THE MONTH.
THAT CALCULATION
IS A PROJECTED FIGURE.
IT'S NOT A REAL AMOUNT.
IN OTHER WORDS,
DONNA VAN TREESE,
THE VICTIM'S WIDOW,
GAVE THE PROSECUTION
TWO SETS OF NUMBERS --
THE PROJECTED INCOME TOTALS
AS WELL AS
THE ACTUAL INCOME RECEIVED.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THOSE TWO NUMBERS IS $6,100.
THE DIFFERENCE
IS NOT AN EMBEZZLEMENT.
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR
PROJECTIONS AND YOUR REVENUE.
IT APPEARS FROM ALL
INTENT AND PURPOSES
THAT THERE WAS SIMPLY
NO EMBEZZLEMENT HERE.
RIGHT. A FIRST-YEAR
ACCOUNTING STUDENT
WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE
TO LOOK AT THIS SCHEDULE
AND SAY,
"THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
YOU'RE COMPARING PROJECTED
REVENUE TO REAL REVENUE."
THAT'S NOT A CALCULATION
OF EMBEZZLEMENT.
SO, WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION
THAT YOU CAME TO?
THAT MONEY WAS EMBEZZLED?
BASED ON THE DOCUMENT
THAT WAS PROVIDED,
THERE WAS
NO EMBEZZLEMENT.
THAT MISCALCULATION IN THE HANDS
OF THE PROSECUTION
MAY HAVE COST
RICHARD GLOSSIP HIS LIFE.
AS FOR THE $4,000
STASHED UNDER THE CAR SEAT,
PAM KERR WENT BACK
TO THE MOTEL RECORDS
AND DISCOVERED
ANOTHER DISTURBING FLAW
IN THE PROSECUTION'S CASE.
JUSTIN SNEED HAS CLAIMED
THAT THEY WERE GOING
TO SPLIT $7,000,
THEY WERE GOING
TO SPLIT $4,000.
WAS THERE
THAT MONEY TO SPLIT
ON THE EVENING
OF HIS MURDER?
FROM JANUARY 1st
THROUGH JANUARY 5th,
THE CASE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
ON HAND TO BE DEPOSITED,
BASED ON
OUR CALCULATIONS,
WOULD HAVE BEEN $2,600
AT THE VERY MOST.
THE BOTTOM LINE
WAS THERE WASN'T $4,000
AS BEST YOU CAN TELL...
CORRECT.
...FOR ANYBODY TO SPLIT
$2,000 A PIECE.
YEP.
AND, OF COURSE,
JUSTIN SNEED HAD
ON HIM SOMEWHERE
AROUND $1,700,
DIDN'T HE?
THAT'S WHAT I READ.
JUSTIN SNEED IS THE ONLY SOURCE,
FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL,
THAT SAID RICH WAS
GOING TO GIVE HIM MONEY
TO KILL
BARRY VAN TREESE.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
OTHER EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT.
IT TOOK NEARLY 20 YEARS FOR THIS
EVIDENCE TO BE REINVESTIGATED.
SOMEDAY SOON, DON KNIGHT
WILL PRESENT THESE
AND OTHER FINDINGS TO A JUDGE.
WHETHER THIS STOPS
THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
FROM KILLING RICHARD GLOSSIP
IS ANYBODY'S GUESS.
**
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP?
ME? I THINK ABOUT THE NEXT DAY
AND WHAT I WANT TO DO.
THAT'S ALL I WANT
TO THINK ABOUT.
THE PAST IS THE PAST,
BUT I TRY TO PUT IT BEHIND ME
AND TRY TO LOOK AT --
THE DAY IS
MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT I MIGHT ACCOMPLISH,
WHAT I WANT TO DO,
WHO I'M GOING TO
REACH OUT TO,
AND THE DIFFERENCE
I'M GOING TO MAKE,
BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE
THIS DIFFERENCE JUST FOR ME.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE
THIS DIFFERENCE
FOR INMATES EVERYWHERE IN
THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE INNOCENT
AND NEED PEOPLE
TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
TODAY, I'M MEETING
A LOT OF OTHER EXONEREES
WHO WERE ON DEATH ROW
FOR MANY YEARS,
AND THEY WILL BE
TELLING THEIR STORIES,
AND I HOPE, ONE DAY,
RICHARD WILL BE ON THE STAGE
WITH ME TELLING HIS STORY
TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THEY ARRESTED ME,
TOOK ME DOWNTOWN.
I WENT FROM THE COMFORTS OF
MY HOME TO DEATH ROW IN 97 DAYS.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE
TO YOU NOW PARIS.
PARIS POWELL WAS
IN OKLAHOMA'S DEATH ROW
FOR 161/2 YEARS
AND THEN DISCOVERED
TO BE INNOCENT AND FREED.
AMERICA'S JUSTICE SYSTEM
GOT IT WRONG 156 TIMES.
I'M 138 ON THE EXONERATION LIST.
I GOT RELEASED
IN OCTOBER 2nd, 2009.
THERE'S 156 PEOPLE NOW,
SO THAT'S ANOTHER 18 SOULS
THAT COULD HAVE
POSSIBLY BEEN LOST.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE
ALL THOSE YEARS,
YOU KNOW, IN AN OKLAHOMA
PRISON FEELING THAT?
WELL, PBHT,
TERRIFYING, TORTUROUS,
VERY DEPRESSING.
ONE OF THE STORIES
WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON
BESIDES ALL YOU GUYS
IS RICHARD GLOSSIP.
HE'S MY GUY.
YEAH, TELL ME
ABOUT RICHARD.
RICHARD GLOSSIP IS ONE OF
THE MOST CARING,
MOST CONSIDERATE GUYS
THAT I MET ON DEATH ROW.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN YOUR MIND
OF RICHARD GLOSSIP'S INNOCENCE?
I'VE SEEN THE EYES
OF A TRUE KILLER.
I'VE SEEN THE DEMEANOR
OF A TRUE KILLER.
IF YOU MEET RICHARD GLOSSIP
YOURSELF, YOU WILL SEE
HE HAS THE MOST
GENTLE SOUL OUT THERE.
THE ONLY HOPE THAT HE WILL HAVE
IS THROUGH CLEMENCY,
AND THAT'S WHAT
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY
WHO CAN HEAR MY VOICE
AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S VOICE
IS TO STEP UP
FOR RICHARD GLOSSIP.
HE DESERVES IT.
APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.
NEXT TIME YOU TALK TO GLOSSIP,
LET HIM KNOW P. ROCK SAID,
"WHAT'S UP?" YOU FEEL ME?
TO KEEP HIS HEAD UP.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING
FOR HIM, ALL RIGHT?
THANKS, MAN.
**
IT'S HARD FOR ME BECAUSE
HE WANTS TO BELIEVE
HE'S GOING TO GET OUT,
AND HE WANTS TO BELIEVE
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SOON.
AS HIS LAWYER,
I CAN'T BE THAT SURE.
I CAN'T TELL HIM THIS IS
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND I KNOW, FOR HIM,
THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER
THAT HE WANTS TO HEAR.
AND I ALSO KNOW FROM HIM THAT
THAT'LL SIT WITH HIM OKAY
FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE,
AND THEN TOMORROW
HE'LL HAVE THE SAME QUESTION.
HE'LL WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT,
AND I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.
I'M AN OPTIMISTIC PERSON, AND
I THINK THAT WE'LL GET THERE.
**
I AM IN A LIFE-CURRENT
WITH RICHARD GLOSSIP,
AND I BELIEVE
HE IS NOT GOING TO DIE.
THIS IS AN EXODUS STORY.
THIS IS A STORY
OF LIFE UP AGAINST DEATH,
OF AN INNOCENT MAN,
AND I'M HOPEFUL
ABOUT RICHARD GLOSSIP.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT HE IS
GOING TO LIVE.
I WORRY ABOUT HIM.
I THINK ABOUT HIM EVERY DAY.
THERE'S NOT A DAY GOES BY
I DON'T THINK ABOUT HIM
AND ABOUT HOW HE FEELS
AND IF HE'S SMILING TODAY
OR IF HE'S NOT SMILING,
BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS SMILING.
BUT I CAN'T SEE ANY REASON
WHY HE WOULD RIGHT NOW.
I REALLY DON'T.
I DON'T THINK,
THAT FROM ALL THE HEARINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN HELD
AND ALL THE APPEALS THAT HAVE
BEEN MADE AND DENIED,
THAT HE IS GOING TO SURVIVE.
I THINK ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT THEY SHOULD KILL HIM
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
IN SOME SCENARIOS,
WHY SHOULD THEY KILL HIM
WHEN THEY'RE NOT KILLING ME?
AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO
WITH JUST BEING TORN
BECAUSE I CAN'T PICK
EVERYBODY'S SIDE,
AND I CAN'T NOT HURT
THE VAN TREESE FAMILY
AND AT THE SAME TIME
SAVE HIM WITH THE TRUTH.
BUT AT THIS POINT I JUST SIMPLY
HAVE TO FORGIVE HIM AND MOVE ON.
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE
GOING TO DIE IN THIS PLACE?
DO I THINK,
PERSONALLY? NO.
YOU KNOW, FROM
WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH
WITH THE THREE TIMES,
IF THAT DOESN'T ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
THAT HOPE EXISTS,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY
ENCOURAGED ME, THOUGH,
THAT HOPE EXISTS AND
THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE
FOR THE JUDGES
TO FINALLY DO THE RIGHT THING.
I'M A FIGHTER, AND I'M NOT GOING
TO GIVE UP LIKE THAT.
I WON'T GIVE UP UNTIL
MY FINAL BREATH.
I NEVER WILL.
IF I SIT HERE AND TELL YOU
THAT I THINK I'M GOING TO DIE,
I'VE LOST HOPE,
AND I'LL NEVER LOSE HOPE.
WHERE THEY WANT TO EXECUTE YOU.
I'VE BEEN STEPS
AWAY THERE THREE TIMES, SO...
AND THREE TIMES,
SO WHAT IS THAT LIKE?
IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE
BECAUSE I GUESS YOU HAVE
TO GO THROUGH IT
TO KNOW WHAT I DID
TO GET THE FEEL
OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE.
I THINK WHAT SCARES ME
THE MOST IS I TRUST
IN THIS SYSTEM
TO GET IT RIGHT,
AND TO GET THAT CLOSE
THREE DIFFERENT TIMES,
I'M SITTING THERE GOING,
"HOW CAN THEY GET THIS WRONG?"
I MEAN,
IT'S PLAIN AS DAY.
HOW COULD YOU
NOT SEE THE TRUTH?
**
IN OKLAHOMA,
DEATH ROW INMATE RICHARD GLOSSIP
IS LIVING ON BORROWED TIME.
ALREADY, HE'S BEEN
ON THE BRINK OF EXECUTION
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.
NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THE STATE IS
PREPARING TO PUT HIM TO DEATH,
ON CHARGES OF HIRING ANOTHER MAN
TO COMMIT MURDER.
BUT FAR TOO MANY TROUBLING
QUESTIONS SWIRL AROUND HIS CASE.
I'M NOT IN THIS THING, MAN!
I'M REALLY NOT.
I'M JOE BERLINGER.
AS A DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER,
I'VE SPENT MY CAREER SHINING
A LIGHT ON STORIES OF INJUSTICE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
THEY'RE READY TO KILL THIS GUY.
I THINK IT'S
A REAL BAD DEAL.
AS GLOSSIP'S LAWYERS SEARCH
FOR NEW EVIDENCE...
EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH
HAPPENED RIGHT HERE.
...TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
DID THE SYSTEM GET IT WRONG
WITH RICHARD GLOSSIP?
IT'S AN INNOCENT MAN
WHO'S GONNA BE EXECUTED
IF WE DON'T DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW.
WE ARE THE LAST, BEST
CHANCE THAT RICH HAS,
AND WE HAVE TO SUCCEED,
BECAUSE IF WE FAIL,
HE DIES.
WHY IS OKLAHOMA SO HELL-BENT
ON KILLING RICHARD GLOSSIP?
**
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE
TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR SITUATION.
YOU'VE BEEN IN PRISON
HOW LONG NOW?
19 YEARS.
19 YEARS.
LIKE I SAID ALL ALONG,
FROM DAY 1,
THAT I WAS INNOCENT OF THIS,
AND I'VE FOUGHT AND FOUGHT.
PEOPLE IN THIS STATE,
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY,
AND PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD
HAVE SEEN FOR THEMSELVES
EVERYTHING
THAT'S OUT THERE,
AND THEY ALL COME
TO THE SAME CONCLUSION --
HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN
TO SOMEBODY?
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
SENT TO DEATH ROW IN 1998.
BETWEEN THAT TIME AND 2014,
WHEN GLOSSIP FIRST
BECAME ELIGIBLE FOR EXECUTION,
THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
HAD ALREADY
PUT 99 INMATES TO DEATH.
THROUGHOUT THOSE 16 YEARS,
GLOSSIP HAS CONSISTENTLY
MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE.
IF TRULY INNOCENT,
GLOSSIP'S ORDEAL ON DEATH ROW
HAS GIVEN HIM
A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
ON OKLAHOMA'S KILLING MACHINERY.
**
ON APRIL 14th, 2014,
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
LINED UP TWO EXECUTIONS
IN ONE DAY.
BOTH INMATES WERE SCHEDULED
TO DIE BEFORE RICHARD GLOSSIP.
CLAYTON LOCKETT,
CONVICTED OF MURDER,
WAS SCHEDULED TO DIE AT 6 P.M.
CHARLES WARNER,
WHO WAS CONVICTED OF RAPING
AND MURDERING AN
11-MONTH-OLD BABY, WOULD FOLLOW.
WELL, IN CLAYTON LOCKETT'S CASE,
I REPRESENTED HIM FOR 11 YEARS
AT THE TIME HE WAS EXECUTED.
THE BLINDS WERE OPENED
AT APPROXIMATELY 6:23.
WE CAN'T SEE ANYTHING
OF MR. LOCKETT OTHER
THAN THE TOP OF HIS SHOULDERS
AND HIS HEAD.
MR. LOCKETT SAID HE DID NOT HAVE
ANY LAST WORDS,
AND SHE SIGNALED
THE EXECUTION TO PROCEED.
AFTER THEY HIT HIM
WITH THE DRUGS
THAT ARE SUPPOSED
TO STOP THE HEART,
HE BEGAN TO WRITHE ON THE GURNEY
FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT
7, 8, 9 MINUTES.
WITH EVIDENT GREAT
PHYSICAL EFFORT,
LIFTED HIS SHOULDERS
AND HIS HEAD OFF OF THE GURNEY.
I HEARD DISTINCTLY
THAT HE SAID AT ONE POINT,
"MAN."
MIDAZOLAM, WHICH WAS
THE ALLEGED SEDATIVE,
IS NOT DESIGNED
FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS USED.
HE WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT SEDATED
OR ANESTHETIZED,
AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE WAS
IN A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN.
SO, THAT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT TO WATCH.
HE WAS BASICALLY
BEING TORTURED.
THERE WAS THE HOPE,
ON OUR PART ANYWAY,
THAT MEDICAL PERSONNEL THERE
WOULD ATTEMPT TO COUNTERACT
THE EFFECT OF THE DRUGS
AND REVIVE HIM.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS
THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED
IS THEY JUST WAITED AROUND
FOR HIM TO DIE,
AND HE EVENTUALLY EXPIRED
OF A HEART ATTACK.
MR. LOCKETT'S CASE,
IT WAS ONE SET OF INCOMPETENT
ACTIONS AFTER ANOTHER,
AND IT WAS A TOTAL DISASTER --
COMPLETE DISASTER.
NEWS OF LOCKETT'S
BOTCHED EXECUTION
PUT A HARSH SPOTLIGHT
ON THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR,
MARY FALLIN,
HAS ORDERED AN INDEPENDENT PROBE
INTO THE STATE'S
EXECUTION PROCEDURES,
COMING AFTER TUESDAY'S
BOTCHED EXECUTION
OF INMATE CLAY LOCKETT.
IN THE WAKE
OF THE BOTCHED EXECUTION,
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
REVISED ITS
LETHAL-INJECTION PROTOCOLS.
WE IMPROVED THE LIGHTING
AS WELL AS THE SOUND SYSTEM
THAT WE HAVE IN HERE.
THESE CHANGES MOVE
CHARLES WARNER
AND RICHARD GLOSSIP CLOSER
TO THEIR IMPENDING EXECUTIONS.
RICHARD GLOSSIP'S LEGAL APPEALS
WERE EXHAUSTED,
BUT HE HAD ONE
MORE CHANCE FOR SALVATION --
A CLEMENCY HEARING IN FRONT
OF THE OKLAHOMA PARDON
AND PAROLE BOARD.
I THINK THOSE PEOPLE
IN CLEMENCY,
THEY WERE WAITING
FOR AN APOLOGY.
THEY WERE WAITING FOR RICH TO,
AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS,
SAY, YOU KNOW,
"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME,"
AND SORT OF BEG FOR HIS LIFE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY
I'M TRULY SORRY
FOR WHAT HAPPENED
TO MR. VAN TREESE,
BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY
THAT I DID NOT PLAN
AND I DID NOT PARTICIPATE
IN THE DEATH
OF MR. VAN TREESE.
HE'S SAYING, "LOOK --
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CLEMENCY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED
IN SOME PARDON
FROM DEATH ROW RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T BELONG IN PRISON.
I DON'T BELONG
IN PRISON AT ALL."
PROSECUTORS
AND FAMILY MEMBERS TESTIFIED
IN FAVOR OF THE EXECUTION
AND MADE A POINT OF REAFFIRMING
THE EVIDENCE OF EMBEZZLEMENT.
THE MOTIVE GOES STRAIGHT BACK
TO RICHARD GLOSSIP,
AND THAT'S WHAT
THE COURTS HAVE FOUND.
THAT'S WHAT
THE PROOF SHOWS.
GLOSSIP HAD
$1,700 CASH ON HIM,
$1,200 OF WHICH
CAN NOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR
THROUGH LAWFUL MEANS,
AND DONNA VAN TREESE TESTIFIED
TO THE SHORTAGES
ON THE BOOKS.
IT'S ABOUT $6,100.
I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I WAS THE FIRST WITNESS
AT BOTH OF THE TRIALS
BECAUSE I HAD BEEN
HIS BUSINESS PARTNER
AS WELL AS HIS SPOUSE
FOR 18 YEARS.
IF ANYBODY
EVER DESERVED TO BE EXECUTED,
RICHARD GLOSSIP DESERVES IT.
LET'S PUT THIS DEAL TO BED.
IT'S YOUR DECISION.
GOD BLESS YOU.
CALL FOR THE VOTE.
MRS. BRYCE?
NO.
MY VOTE IS NO.
AND THEY SAID NO
ON A FIVE-TO-NOTHING VOTE,
AND SO HIS CLEMENCY PROCESS
WAS OVER,
AND ONCE THAT'S OVER,
THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.
THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO WAS
TO SET AN EXECUTION DATE.
ALL RIGHT,
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION DATE WAS SET
FOR JANUARY 29th, 2015,
BUT FIRST, THERE WAS
ANOTHER INMATE TO EXECUTE
BEFORE THEY COULD
KILL RICHARD GLOSSIP.
AND WE BEGIN TONIGHT AT 10
WITH OKLAHOMA'S FIRST EXECUTION
SINCE A LETHAL INJECTION
WENT AWRY IN APRIL.
CHARLES WARNER WAS
PRONOUNCED DEAD
AT 7:28 P.M. THIS EVENING.
COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
WITH CLAYTON LOCKETT,
THIS WAS
A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
SO, THE PATH WAS CLEAR.
GLOSSIP WOULD BE EXECUTED
IN TWO WEEKS.
**
WE'RE ON OUR WAY
TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.
I LOVE CLERKS,
AND I LOVE DOCUMENTS.
YOU CAN'T
CROSS-EXAMINE A DOCUMENT.
WITH TIME RUNNING
SHORT FOR GLOSSIP'S LEGAL TEAM
TO GET BACK INTO COURT,
THE PRESSURE IS ON
INVESTIGATOR QUINN O'BRIEN
TO UNCOVER NEW EVIDENCE.
HER FOCUS TODAY IS MONEY,
SPECIFICALLY
THE FINANCIAL DEALINGS
OF THE VICTIM, BARRY VAN TREESE.
BARRY VAN TREESE IS
THE NAME OF THE PERSON
THAT I'M RESEARCHING TODAY.
B- A-R-R-Y?
LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND.
GIVE US A SECOND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE FIRST CASE IS
RIGHT HERE.
THE SECOND CASE
WAS DESTROYED.
SMALL CLAIMS
WAS DESTROYED.
OKAY.
THESE RECORDS SHOW
THAT BARRY VAN TREESE HAD DEBTS
AND THAT PEOPLE
BROUGHT HIM HERE TO COURT,
TO CIVIL COURT,
TO RECOVER THOSE DEBTS.
AND I FOUND SOME TAX LIENS
AGAINST THE BEST BUDGET INN
FOR DELINQUENT TAXES.
THESE DOCUMENTS ARE GOING TO
START TO PUT TOGETHER A PICTURE
OF THE FINANCES
OF BARRY VAN TREESE,
CORROBORATE WHAT SOME OF
OUR WITNESSES HAVE BEEN SAYING.
IF BARRY VAN TREESE
WAS INDEED FACING TAX PROBLEMS,
IT WOULD HELP TO EXPLAIN
WHY HE MIGHT BE HOARDING CASH
AND OPEN UP
A FRESH SET OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT HOW MONEY PLAYED INTO
THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE KILLINGS.
I'M JUST RESEARCHING
A COUPLE OF ADDRESSES.
THE FIRST ONE IS...
AS AN INVESTIGATOR,
EVERY TIME I GET
A NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION,
I ADD A HUNDRED NEW QUESTIONS
TO MY INVESTIGATION,
AND EVERY TIME I HAVE ANSWERED
ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS,
IT'S BEEN IN RICHARD'S FAVOR.
IN JANUARY OF 2015,
RICHARD GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION DATE
WAS FAST APPROACHING.
HE WAS DEEP INTO
THE BRUTAL 35-DAY PROTOCOL
ON DEATH WATCH,
AND HIS SENSE OF DESPERATION
WAS GROWING DAY BY DAY.
You have 60 seconds remaining.
AS THE EXECUTION DATE
GREW CLOSER,
SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
MARCHED PROTESTERS
INTO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
AT THE STATE CAPITAL, IT
COULD BE CALLED A FINAL STAND.
A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE FIGHTING
FOR A MAN'S FATE
THAT'S BEEN ALL BUT SEALED.
SISTER HELEN CALLED ATTENTION
TO RICHARD GLOSSIP'S NEW ROLE
AS THE LEAD PLAINTIFF
IN A SUPREME COURT CASE
CHALLENGING OKLAHOMA'S USE
OF THE CONTROVERSIAL LETHAL
INJECTION DRUG, MIDAZOLAM.
HER GOAL WAS TO STOP
GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION
WHILE A TEAM OF PUBLIC DEFENDERS
ARGUED THE CASE.
YES!
RICHARD'S GOING TO LIVE,
AND, GOD,
IT'S SO HAPPY IN THERE.
EVERYBODY'S TALKING AT ONE TIME.
HELEN SAVED HIS LIFE
IN JANUARY,
BECAUSE THEY KILLED
CHARLES WARNER,
AND THEY HAD
RICH ALL SET TO GO.
HELEN GOT INVOLVED,
AND SUDDENLY,
THE MEDIA WAS ON IT.
AND THE SUPREME COURT
DECIDED TO GRANT THAT STAY.
IT'S JUST ALL HAPPY, ALL JOYFUL.
THE MOOD WAS MUCH
DIFFERENT AT THE STATE HOUSE.
WHEN IT COMES TO
THE RICHARD GLOSSIP CASE,
HE'S BEEN FOUND GUILTY.
HE'S BEEN FOUND GUILTY
ON APPEAL.
THERE'S BEEN NO PROBLEMS
FOUND WITH THE ACTUAL TRIALS.
OUT OF CONCERN
THAT THE SUPREME COURT
WOULD OUTLAW OKLAHOMA'S
LETHAL-INJECTION SYSTEM,
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
JOHN PAUL JORDAN COSPONSORED
A BILL TO GIVE HIS STATE
AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS
OF PUTTING INMATES
LIKE RICHARD GLOSSIP TO DEATH.
MEMBERS,
HOUSE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
MEMBERS, HOUSE BILL 1879 OFFERS
AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD
FOR ADMINISTERING
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN OKLAHOMA.
AN ENVIRONMENT OVERLY ENRICHED
WITH NITROGEN
WILL LACK THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL
OF OXYGEN
NECESSARY FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL.
NITROGEN HYPOXIA,
ESSENTIALLY IT'S TAKING A MASK.
IT'S HAVING THEM
BREATHE IN NITROGEN.
ANYONE CAN ADMINISTER IT.
BASICALLY,
THEY CLOSE THEIR EYES,
THEY GO INTO A EUPHORIC STATE,
AND THEN THEY'RE GONE.
THE BILL PASSED
BY A WIDE MARGIN...
I DECLARE THE BILL
TO HAVE PASSED.
...AND GOVERNOR FALLIN
QUICKLY SIGNED IT INTO LAW.
THREE MONTHS LATER,
THE SUPREME COURT ISSUED
ITS RULING SAYING
IN EFFECT THAT OKLAHOMA
WAS FREE TO USE MIDAZOLAM
TO LETHALLY INJECT
RICHARD GLOSSIP.
OKLAHOMA OFFICIALS
MOVED QUICKLY.
THEY SET SEPTEMBER 16th
AS GLOSSIP'S SECOND DATE
WITH THE DEATH CHAMBER.
SO, THERE'S NOTHING
TO STAND IN THE WAY NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ISSUE
OF THE DRUGS.
THEY HAD JUST SAID,
"YEAH, THE DRUGS ARE FINE."
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY SAVE HIM?
AND THEN I CALLED SUSAN,
AND THEN SUSAN AND I TOGETHER,
WE DID THE MEDIA THING.
THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE LIFE
OF OKLAHOMA DEATH ROW
INMATE RICHARD GLOSSIP
IS GAINING MOMENTUM.
TOMORROW, DR. PHIL IS TAKING ON
THE CASE OF GLOSSIP,
AND HE'S BRINGING IN ACTRESS
SUSAN SARANDON FOR THE DEBATE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR CLEMENCY,
BUT JUST A STAY TO BE ABLE
TO PRESENT
THIS OTHER INFORMATION
THAT PEOPLE HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.
I READ A LETTER FROM RICHARD
WHICH WAS VERY UPSETTING.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
PLEASE KNOW THAT
I AM PRAYING FOR YOU ALL.
HE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE CASE
ON THE AIR,
AND THE WHOLE TIME,
THE AUDIENCE WAS JUST
SHAKING THEIR HEADS LIKE,
"HOW COULD THIS BE?"
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
FAST BECOMING THE POSER CHILD
FOR ABOLISHING
THE DEATH PENALTY,
BUT ALL THAT PUBLICITY SEEMED
TO DO LITTLE FOR DON KNIGHT
AND HIS EFFORTS
TO EXONERATE HIS CLIENT.
IT WAS A VERY,
VERY FRANTIC SUMMER.
WE USED THAT TIME
TO GO GET MORE WITNESSES,
AND I HAD TO TELL THEM,
"IF YOU SIGN THIS AFFIDAVIT,
YOUR NAME IS GOING
TO BE PART OF THIS CASE."
EACH OF THEM HAD
RESERVATIONS ABOUT THAT.
IT WAS ALMOST
AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
THEN,
11 DAYS BEFORE HIS CLIENT'S
IMPENDING EXECUTION,
DON KNIGHT FINALLY GOT A BREAK.
NOW, LATE THIS AFTERNOON,
GLOSSIP'S ATTORNEYS
INTRODUCED NEW EVIDENCE
IN HOPES TO PROVE
THEIR CLIENT'S INNOCENCE.
THEY'RE AFFIDAVITS FROM
JUSTIN SNEED'S FORMER CELLMATES.
DETAILED IN THOSE DOCUMENTS,
MICHAEL G. SCOTT SAID,
"I CLEARLY HEARD JUSTIN
SNEED SAY THAT,
IN HIS STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONY,
HE SET RICHARD GLOSSIP UP,
AND THAT RICHARD GLOSSIP
DID NOT DO ANYTHING."
MICHAEL SCOTT SAW US
ON "DR. PHIL,"
AND HE REACHED OUT
AND CALLED OUR OFFICE.
HE WAS BRAVE. HE WAS BRAVE.
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO COME FORWARD.
BUT THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
WITH DAVID PRATER
DECIDED THAT IT WASN'T
GOING TO BE OKAY
FOR MICHAEL SCOTT TO HELP US.
**
ON THE EVE OF
THE SECOND EXECUTION,
WE DID A PRESS CONFERENCE.
THIS WAS AT THE TIME
WHEN WE FILED OUR INFORMATION
WITH THE OKLAHOMA COURT
OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
AND SAID WE WANTED A HEARING.
IT WAS A VERY WELL-ATTENDED
PRESS CONFERENCE.
I MEAN, THERE WERE PEOPLE
FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
BUT I COULD SEE PRATER
IN THE BACK,
AND HE WAS ANGRY.
THIS IS CRAP.
THIS IS A **** P.R. CAMPAIGN.
THAT'S ALL IT IS.
IF IT WAS
A **** P.R. CAMPAIGN,
I GUESS I WOULDN'T HAVE
BROUGHT AN AFFIDAVIT WITH ME.
SEPTEMBER 16th,
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
IN THE FINAL HOLDING CELL
ON DEATH WATCH.
HE WAS PREPPED FOR EXECUTION,
SERVED HIS LAST MEAL,
AND JUST HOURS AWAY FROM DEATH.
DON KNIGHT WAS NEARBY WAITING,
HOPING THAT OKLAHOMA'S
HIGHEST COURT
WOULD GRANT HIM A HEARING
TO PRESENT HIS NEW EVIDENCE.
WE WAITED AND WAITED.
AT NOON THERE CAME A KNOCK
ON THE LITTLE DOOR WE WERE IN,
AND THE GUARD POKED
HIS HEAD IN AND SAID
THERE'D BEEN A STAY
THAT HAD BEEN GRANTED.
IT WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST
MOMENTS OF MY LIFE
TO THINK WE DID IT,
WE GOT THIS MAN A STAY.
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS SAY
MICHAEL SCOTT
WAS ARRESTED BY DEPUTIES
WITH GUNS DRAWN
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
AT THE POLICE STATION,
MR. SCOTT, STILL IN HANDCUFFS,
WAS PLACED IN A CHAIR
IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM,
AND OKLAHOMA DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DAVID PRATER
ENTERED THE ROOM AND
BEGAN INTERROGATING MR. SCOTT.
THEY TELL HIM THEY WANT HIM
TO RECANT WHAT HE SAID,
THAT IT'S NOT TRUE. THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO CHARGE HIM,
AND THEY'RE GOING
TO THROW HIM IN JAIL
IF HE DOESN'T RECANT EXACTLY
WHAT HE SAID IN THE AFFIDAVIT.
AFTER WE HAD IDENTIFIED
MICHAEL SCOTT
AS A WITNESS IN OUR CASE,
THEY SMEARED HIM.
SOMEBODY GAVE
PRIVILEGED DOCUMENTATION
TO THE NEWSPAPER THE OKLAHOMAN,
AND THE OKLAHOMAN RAN IT
ON THEIR FRONT PAGE
WITH A PICTURE OF MICHAEL SCOTT.
THEY SAID, "HERE'S A MAN
WHO HAS A HISTORY OF LYING."
THERE WAS NO REASON
FOR ANYBODY TO DO THAT.
THERE WAS NO REASON
FOR THE OKLAHOMAN TO DO THAT.
I RECEIVED A DOCUMENT
THAT WAS MICHAEL SCOTT'S
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
WHEN HE ENTERED
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
I, UNFORTUNATELY,
I CAN'T TELL YOU
WHERE I GOT THAT DOCUMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ALLEGATIONS
HAVE BEEN MADE WHERE I GOT IT,
BUT I JUST CAN'T COMMENT
ON THAT. I'M SORRY.
NO COMMENT.
AFTER ALL OF
THE LAST MINUTE LEGAL BATTLING
AND THE ENSUING MEDIA FIRESTORM,
THE OKLAHOMA COURT
OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
HAD REACHED ITS DECISION.
THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HEAR
FROM DON KNIGHT'S NEW WITNESSES,
INCLUDING MICHAEL SCOTT.
GLOSSIP'S PETITION
FOR AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING
WAS DENIED BY
A VOTE OF THREE TO TWO.
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS
GOING TO BE EXECUTED.
HERE AT THE OKLAHOMA
STATE PENITENTIARY,
WE ARE STILL HOURS
AHEAD OF THE ANTICIPATED
TIME OF EXECUTION
FOR INMATE RICHARD GLOSSIP.
OF COURSE, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT RICHARD GLOSSIP.
HE IS EXPECTED TO DIE TODAY
AT 3 P.M.
ON SEPTEMBER 30th, 2015,
AFTER TWICE COMING
WITHIN HOURS OF DEATH,
RICHARD GLOSSIP WAS AGAIN
SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED
BY LETHAL INJECTION.
THE OKLAHOMA COURT OF APPEALS
HAD DENIED HIS LAWYER'S PETITION
TO PRESENT NEW WITNESSES,
SO GLOSSIP'S ONLY HOPE
FOR COMING OUT ALIVE
WAS A LEGAL MIRACLE --
A STAY FROM
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
I WAS BROUGHT IN
WITH THE WITNESSES
INTO THIS LITTLE HOLDING PLACE.
YOU'RE BROUGHT IN AT 12:30.
HE'S GOING TO BE EXECUTED AT 3,
AND YOU START WAITING.
BY MIDDAY,
GLOSSIP'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS
HAD GATHERED ALONGSIDE
DOZENS OF REPORTERS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD
WHO ALL CAME TO DOCUMENT
AN EXECUTION
NEARLY 19 YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AS WE WERE DRIVING
OUT TO McALESTER,
IT'S ABOUT A TWO-HOUR
DRIVE FROM OKLAHOMA CITY,
AND I HAD A HARD TIME THINKING
I COULD WITNESS AN EXECUTION
OF POSSIBLY AN INNOCENT PERSON.
THEY SHUT DOWN THE PRISON.
BASICALLY, YOU CAN'T COME IN
OR OUT AFTER A CERTAIN POINT.
I WAS WITH THE MEDIA, AND
WE'RE ALL KIND OF SEQUESTERED
IN THIS LITTLE FAMILY,
SORT OF, VISITATION ROOM
AND JUST SORT OF WAITING.
MEANWHILE, INSIDE THE PRISON,
THEY'RE PREPPING
THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
DON KNIGHT WAS
ANXIOUSLY AWAITING WORD
FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
TO SEE IF THEY WOULD
OVERTURN OKLAHOMA'S DECISION
AND GIVE GLOSSIP ANOTHER SHOT
IN FRONT OF A JUDGE.
A LAST MINUTE PLEA TO SPARE
THE LIFE OF RICHARD GLOSSIP,
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DENIED
THAT STAY IN A VOTE
OF EIGHT TO ONE.
IT WILL GO ON AS SCHEDULED.
THEY'RE JUST GOING TO KILL HIM
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF
RICH'S FAMILY MEMBERS OUTSIDE,
AND I HAD TO GO OVER
AND TELL THEM
THAT THE SUPREME COURT
HAD TURNED US DOWN
AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING MORE
THAT WE COULD DO.
THAT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE HIS SISTERS
OR BROTHERS, AND WE WERE JUST
GOING TO DEFEND HIM
NO MATTER WHAT,
BUT IT WAS HORRIBLE.
I DON'T EVER WANT TO FEEL
LIKE THAT AGAIN.
EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T
SUCCESSFUL IN COURT,
EVERYONE KNOWS, THE WORLD KNOWS,
THAT RICHARD GLOSSIP IS
INNOCENT.
THAT WAS A REALLY, REALLY HARD,
HARD MOMENT FOR ME.
EVERYTHING WAS MOVING FORWARD,
AND RICHARD GLOSSIP SHOULD HAVE
BEEN PUT TO DEATH AT 3:00.
EVERYONE OUTSIDE OF THAT
PRISON, WE WERE JUST WAITING.
IT WAS HORRIBLE, I MEAN,
TO KNOW THAT YOUR FATHER
OR YOUR BROTHER WAS,
AT THAT MOMENT,
BEING TAKEN FROM HIS CELL
AND STRAPPED TO A GURNEY
AND POISON WAS GOING TO BE
INJECTED INTO HIS VEINS.
SO, IT'S, LIKE,
GETTING TO BE LATE AFTERNOON,
AND EVERYBODY IN THE MEDIA ROOM
IS LIKE, "WHAT IS GOING ON?"
AND THERE STARTS
TO BE THIS SORT OF PANIC.
I'M LOOKING UP
CLOSE AT MY WATCH.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR 3:00.
I THOUGHT FOR SURE
RICHARD WAS DEAD.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME,
I SAW AN AMBULANCE DRIVE UP,
AND I THOUGHT, "MY GOD.
THAT'S THE CAR
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE HIM AWAY."
AND NOW WE ARE GETTING WORD
THAT THERE HAS BEEN
A STAY OF EXECUTION GRANTED
BY GOVERNOR MARY FALLIN.
AGAIN,
THIS IS A MAN WHO'S ALREADY HAD
HIS LAST MEALS TWICE.
IT'S A STAY FROM SOME
LETHAL-INJECTION ISSUE.
SOMETHING ABOUT OBTAINING
ANOTHER DRUG
TO DO THE EXECUTION.
IT WAS LIKE LAZARUS, YOU KNOW,
COMING BACK FROM THE DEAD,
BECAUSE LITERALLY, WE HAD
THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD 45 MINUTES.
WE WERE JUST THRILLED
THAT HE WAS ALIVE, OKAY?
I MEAN, I WAS ABSOLUTELY
THRILLED THAT HE WAS ALIVE,
BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY.
WE ARE JUST NOW LEARNING,
WITHIN THE LAST FEW MINUTES,
THAT THIS MAYBE A CASE OF A
COMPLETELY ABSENTMINDED MIX-UP.
THEY HAD POTASSIUM ACETATE.
IT WAS THE WRONG DRUG.
IT'S A FOOD PRESERVATIVE.
IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE
A RICHARD GLOSSIP PRESERVATIVE
BECAUSE HE'S NOT DEAD
BECAUSE THEY MESSED IT UP.
JESUS, WE THANK YOU.
WE PRAISE YOU FOR THIS DAY, GOD.
WE PRAISE YOU
FOR THIS WONDERFUL NEWS.
HERE'S TO YOU, RICKY.
**
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING
THE STORM OF CONTROVERSY
THAT ERUPTED
AFTER THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
NEARLY KILLED RICHARD GLOSSIP
WITH THE WRONG DRUGS,
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
SCOTT PRUITT,
ISSUED A MORATORIUM
ON NEW EXECUTIONS.
WITHIN WEEKS, PRUITT
CALLED A SPECIAL GRAND JURY
TO INVESTIGATE THE ACTIONS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
IT'S JUST AFTER 2:00
THIS AFTERNOON,
AND WE HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR THIS GRAND-JURY REPORT
TO BE FILED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SEVEN MONTHS
OF AN INVESTIGATION.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
INVOLVED IN THE ALLEGATIONS
THAT, YOU KNOW,
THEY GOT THE WRONG DRUG,
THEY'VE ALL LEFT,
AND SO, IT'S GOING
TO BE TESTIMONY
FROM ROBERT PATTON,
THE FORMER HEAD OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS,
WHO HAS SINCE RESIGNED,
ALSO ANITA TRAMMEL,
THE WARDEN AT THE STATE PEN,
WHO ALSO RESIGNED,
AND SOME FOLKS INSIDE
GOVERNOR MARY FALLIN'S OFFICE
WHO WE UNDERSTAND ALSO TESTIFIED
IN FRONT OF THE GRAND JURY.
**
THE GRAND JURY
HAS FINISHED ITS WORK,
AND THE PRESS IS DETERMINED
TO GET THEIR HANDS
ON THE STATE'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
GUYS, IF YOU JUST MIND
WAITING RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
ANY SOONER
IF WE'RE ALL STANDING RIGHT HERE
AT THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW.
PLEASE?
HERE'S WHAT
THE GRAND JURY FOUND.
DIRECTOR PATTON CHANGED
THE EXECUTION PROTOCOL
WITHOUT AUTHORITY,
THE PHARMACIST
ORDERED THE WRONG DRUGS,
THERE WAS NO INSPECTION
OF THE DRUGS,
AND WARDEN ANITA TRAMMEL
DIDN'T NOTIFY ANYONE.
THE DEATH ROW CHIEF
DIDN'T NOTICE THE WRONG DRUGS,
AND THE GOVERNOR'S
TOP ATTORNEY ADVOCATED
TO PROCEED
IN GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION
WITH THE WRONG DRUGS.
AND WHEN THE GRAND-JURY REPORT
WAS PRESENTED IN COURT TODAY,
THE JUDGE SAID, "IT'S TIME
TO GET THE MONKEY BUSINESS
AT THE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS UNDER CONTROL."
AS FAR AS THE EXECUTION DRUGS,
THE GRAND JURY
DID RECOMMEND WE CHANGE
OUR EXECUTION METHOD
TO NITROGEN HYPOXIA.
IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WAS
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION'S
ATTORNEY CALLED THE GOVERNOR
AND SAID,
"LOOK, GUYS,
WE HAVE THE WRONG DRUG."
IT APPEARS THAT
THE GENERAL COUNSEL
FOR GOVERNOR FALLIN,
STEVE MULLIN, SAID, "GO AHEAD.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME DRUG,"
AND THEN LITERALLY SAYS,
"GOOGLE IT,"
IN THIS GRAND-JURY REPORT
AS TO WHAT HE SAID.
SO, THE BIG NEWS HEADLINE TODAY
IS EVERYONE AT
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
TO PEOPLE
AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
REALLY MESSED UP IN 2015,
BUT NO ONE GOT INDICTED,
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO, NO ONE IS GOING TO BE
CHARGED WITH A CRIME
IN THIS CASE,
AND NOW THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING
AGAIN FOR GLOSSIP.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD
A QUESTION IN YOUR MIND
ABOUT THAT GRAND-JURY REPORT.
WELL, I HAD
A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY.
THEY'RE DONE
INVESTIGATING YOUR CASE.
THAT REPORT IS IT.
THERE WON'T BE
ANYMORE GRAND-JURY INVESTIGATION
INTO YOUR CASE.
SO, WHAT'S NEXT?
WHAT'S THAT?
WELL, THAT'S
A GOOD QUESTION.
WITH THE CONTROVERSY
SURROUNDING OKLAHOMA'S
EXECUTION PROTOCOL DYING DOWN,
STATE OFFICIALS BEGIN
THE PROCESS OF ONCE AGAIN
REBUILDING THEIR
LETHAL-INJECTION SYSTEM.
GLOSSIP WILL BE
THE NEXT INMATE TO DIE
IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
IT COULD HAPPEN AS SOON
AS THE SUMMER OF 2017.
HIS LEGAL TEAM HAS USED
THIS SHORT WINDOW OF TIME
TO POUR THROUGH OLD FILES,
REVISIT THE CRIME SCENE,
AND DIG UP WITNESSES
THE POLICE AND PROSECUTION
NEVER ATTEMPTED TO REACH.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAD
BACK TO THE HOTEL.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK
TO A FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT
WHO IS SOMEONE WE'VE HIRED
TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE EXHIBITS
AND INFORMATION
THAT WAS AVAILABLE
FOR TRIAL COUNSEL.
THE ALLEGATION IS
THAT HE STOLE $6,100.
PROSECUTORS FRAME THEIR CASE
AROUND A PRIMARY MOTIVE --
MONEY.
BUT DID GLOSSIP REALLY
EMBEZZLE $6,100 FROM THE MOTEL,
AND DID HE ACTUALLY
SPLIT $4,000 WITH JUSTIN SNEED
AFTER THE MURDER?
WE LOOK AT THE FACTS, I
MEAN, THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION,
AND WE DON'T REALLY
COME UP WITH AN OPINION.
WE COME UP WITH
A PRESENTATION OF THE FACTS.
PAM KERR IS ONE OF
THE LEADING FORENSIC ACCOUNTANTS
IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT WHAT I WOULD WANT TO KNOW
AS A DEFENSE LAWYER IS,
"WELL, IS THIS TRUE,"
BECAUSE IF THERE
IS NO EMBEZZLEMENT,
THEN THE WHOLE IDEA
THAT HE KILLED BARRY
BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF BEING
CAUGHT IN AN EMBEZZLEMENT
JUST SIMPLY GOES OUT
THE WINDOW, DOESN'T IT?
EXACTLY. OKAY.
SO, THE VERY FIRST DOCUMENT
IS THE DAILY REPORT.
THAT TELLS YOU WHAT YOU
THE SALES FOR THE DAY
AND THE CASH THAT YOU WOULD HAVE
COLLECTED FOR THE DAY.
OKAY, THE SECOND DOCUMENT
IS THIS DAILY-SALES REPORT
WHICH HAS THE AMOUNT OF CASH
THAT SHOULD BE DEPOSITED.
THIS IS EXACTLY
WHAT WOULD TELL SOMEBODY
EVERY SINGLE DAY
IF SOMEBODY IS STEALING.
AND THOSE FACTS SHOW
THAT THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS OF MONEY
COLLECTED AND REPORTED
BY RICHARD GLOSSIP
AT THE BEST BUDGET INN
MATCH THE HANDWRITTEN RECORDS
KEPT BY BARRY VAN TREESE
IN HIS MAKESHIFT BANK
IN THE TRUNK OF HIS CAR.
THE TOTAL FOR OCTOBER 23rd
UNDER DEPOSIT IS $450.
RIGHT UP HERE.
THE SAME NUMBER UP HERE.
YEP, THE EXACT
SAME NUMBER.
THE NEXT NUMBER IS $585.
RIGHT.
$1,552.
RIGHT.
$660.
RIGHT.
$515.
RIGHT.
PAM KERR PUT BOTH SETS
OF NUMBERS INTO A SPREADSHEET
AND MAKES A DISCOVERY
THAT GLOSSIP'S ORIGINAL LAWYERS
NEVER EVEN EXPLORED.
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN WHAT WAS TO BE DEPOSITED
AND WHAT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN DEPOSITED.
ZERO. ZERO.
IT'S POWERFUL NEW EVIDENCE
THAT COULD HAVE DESTROYED
THE STATE'S CASE AT TRIAL.
ESSENTIALLY, WHAT
DONNA VAN TREESE SAYS IS,
"I CALCULATED ALL OF THIS STUFF
AT THE END OF THE YEAR,
AND I SHOW THAT RICH WAS
EMBEZZLING $6,100 FROM US."
DONNA VAN TREESE'S
COMPUTATION
IS AN AVERAGE
DAILY RENTAL
TIMES THE NUMBER OF ROOMS
FOR THE MONTH.
THAT CALCULATION
IS A PROJECTED FIGURE.
IT'S NOT A REAL AMOUNT.
IN OTHER WORDS,
DONNA VAN TREESE,
THE VICTIM'S WIDOW,
GAVE THE PROSECUTION
TWO SETS OF NUMBERS --
THE PROJECTED INCOME TOTALS
AS WELL AS
THE ACTUAL INCOME RECEIVED.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THOSE TWO NUMBERS IS $6,100.
THE DIFFERENCE
IS NOT AN EMBEZZLEMENT.
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR
PROJECTIONS AND YOUR REVENUE.
IT APPEARS FROM ALL
INTENT AND PURPOSES
THAT THERE WAS SIMPLY
NO EMBEZZLEMENT HERE.
RIGHT. A FIRST-YEAR
ACCOUNTING STUDENT
WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE
TO LOOK AT THIS SCHEDULE
AND SAY,
"THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
YOU'RE COMPARING PROJECTED
REVENUE TO REAL REVENUE."
THAT'S NOT A CALCULATION
OF EMBEZZLEMENT.
SO, WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION
THAT YOU CAME TO?
THAT MONEY WAS EMBEZZLED?
BASED ON THE DOCUMENT
THAT WAS PROVIDED,
THERE WAS
NO EMBEZZLEMENT.
THAT MISCALCULATION IN THE HANDS
OF THE PROSECUTION
MAY HAVE COST
RICHARD GLOSSIP HIS LIFE.
AS FOR THE $4,000
STASHED UNDER THE CAR SEAT,
PAM KERR WENT BACK
TO THE MOTEL RECORDS
AND DISCOVERED
ANOTHER DISTURBING FLAW
IN THE PROSECUTION'S CASE.
JUSTIN SNEED HAS CLAIMED
THAT THEY WERE GOING
TO SPLIT $7,000,
THEY WERE GOING
TO SPLIT $4,000.
WAS THERE
THAT MONEY TO SPLIT
ON THE EVENING
OF HIS MURDER?
FROM JANUARY 1st
THROUGH JANUARY 5th,
THE CASE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
ON HAND TO BE DEPOSITED,
BASED ON
OUR CALCULATIONS,
WOULD HAVE BEEN $2,600
AT THE VERY MOST.
THE BOTTOM LINE
WAS THERE WASN'T $4,000
AS BEST YOU CAN TELL...
CORRECT.
...FOR ANYBODY TO SPLIT
$2,000 A PIECE.
YEP.
AND, OF COURSE,
JUSTIN SNEED HAD
ON HIM SOMEWHERE
AROUND $1,700,
DIDN'T HE?
THAT'S WHAT I READ.
JUSTIN SNEED IS THE ONLY SOURCE,
FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL,
THAT SAID RICH WAS
GOING TO GIVE HIM MONEY
TO KILL
BARRY VAN TREESE.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
OTHER EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT.
IT TOOK NEARLY 20 YEARS FOR THIS
EVIDENCE TO BE REINVESTIGATED.
SOMEDAY SOON, DON KNIGHT
WILL PRESENT THESE
AND OTHER FINDINGS TO A JUDGE.
WHETHER THIS STOPS
THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
FROM KILLING RICHARD GLOSSIP
IS ANYBODY'S GUESS.
**
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP?
ME? I THINK ABOUT THE NEXT DAY
AND WHAT I WANT TO DO.
THAT'S ALL I WANT
TO THINK ABOUT.
THE PAST IS THE PAST,
BUT I TRY TO PUT IT BEHIND ME
AND TRY TO LOOK AT --
THE DAY IS
MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT I MIGHT ACCOMPLISH,
WHAT I WANT TO DO,
WHO I'M GOING TO
REACH OUT TO,
AND THE DIFFERENCE
I'M GOING TO MAKE,
BECAUSE I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE
THIS DIFFERENCE JUST FOR ME.
I'M TRYING TO MAKE
THIS DIFFERENCE
FOR INMATES EVERYWHERE IN
THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE INNOCENT
AND NEED PEOPLE
TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
TODAY, I'M MEETING
A LOT OF OTHER EXONEREES
WHO WERE ON DEATH ROW
FOR MANY YEARS,
AND THEY WILL BE
TELLING THEIR STORIES,
AND I HOPE, ONE DAY,
RICHARD WILL BE ON THE STAGE
WITH ME TELLING HIS STORY
TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THEY ARRESTED ME,
TOOK ME DOWNTOWN.
I WENT FROM THE COMFORTS OF
MY HOME TO DEATH ROW IN 97 DAYS.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE
TO YOU NOW PARIS.
PARIS POWELL WAS
IN OKLAHOMA'S DEATH ROW
FOR 161/2 YEARS
AND THEN DISCOVERED
TO BE INNOCENT AND FREED.
AMERICA'S JUSTICE SYSTEM
GOT IT WRONG 156 TIMES.
I'M 138 ON THE EXONERATION LIST.
I GOT RELEASED
IN OCTOBER 2nd, 2009.
THERE'S 156 PEOPLE NOW,
SO THAT'S ANOTHER 18 SOULS
THAT COULD HAVE
POSSIBLY BEEN LOST.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE
ALL THOSE YEARS,
YOU KNOW, IN AN OKLAHOMA
PRISON FEELING THAT?
WELL, PBHT,
TERRIFYING, TORTUROUS,
VERY DEPRESSING.
ONE OF THE STORIES
WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON
BESIDES ALL YOU GUYS
IS RICHARD GLOSSIP.
HE'S MY GUY.
YEAH, TELL ME
ABOUT RICHARD.
RICHARD GLOSSIP IS ONE OF
THE MOST CARING,
MOST CONSIDERATE GUYS
THAT I MET ON DEATH ROW.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN YOUR MIND
OF RICHARD GLOSSIP'S INNOCENCE?
I'VE SEEN THE EYES
OF A TRUE KILLER.
I'VE SEEN THE DEMEANOR
OF A TRUE KILLER.
IF YOU MEET RICHARD GLOSSIP
YOURSELF, YOU WILL SEE
HE HAS THE MOST
GENTLE SOUL OUT THERE.
THE ONLY HOPE THAT HE WILL HAVE
IS THROUGH CLEMENCY,
AND THAT'S WHAT
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY
WHO CAN HEAR MY VOICE
AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S VOICE
IS TO STEP UP
FOR RICHARD GLOSSIP.
HE DESERVES IT.
APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.
NEXT TIME YOU TALK TO GLOSSIP,
LET HIM KNOW P. ROCK SAID,
"WHAT'S UP?" YOU FEEL ME?
TO KEEP HIS HEAD UP.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING
FOR HIM, ALL RIGHT?
THANKS, MAN.
**
IT'S HARD FOR ME BECAUSE
HE WANTS TO BELIEVE
HE'S GOING TO GET OUT,
AND HE WANTS TO BELIEVE
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SOON.
AS HIS LAWYER,
I CAN'T BE THAT SURE.
I CAN'T TELL HIM THIS IS
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND I KNOW, FOR HIM,
THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER
THAT HE WANTS TO HEAR.
AND I ALSO KNOW FROM HIM THAT
THAT'LL SIT WITH HIM OKAY
FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE,
AND THEN TOMORROW
HE'LL HAVE THE SAME QUESTION.
HE'LL WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT,
AND I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.
I'M AN OPTIMISTIC PERSON, AND
I THINK THAT WE'LL GET THERE.
**
I AM IN A LIFE-CURRENT
WITH RICHARD GLOSSIP,
AND I BELIEVE
HE IS NOT GOING TO DIE.
THIS IS AN EXODUS STORY.
THIS IS A STORY
OF LIFE UP AGAINST DEATH,
OF AN INNOCENT MAN,
AND I'M HOPEFUL
ABOUT RICHARD GLOSSIP.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT HE IS
GOING TO LIVE.
I WORRY ABOUT HIM.
I THINK ABOUT HIM EVERY DAY.
THERE'S NOT A DAY GOES BY
I DON'T THINK ABOUT HIM
AND ABOUT HOW HE FEELS
AND IF HE'S SMILING TODAY
OR IF HE'S NOT SMILING,
BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS SMILING.
BUT I CAN'T SEE ANY REASON
WHY HE WOULD RIGHT NOW.
I REALLY DON'T.
I DON'T THINK,
THAT FROM ALL THE HEARINGS
THAT HAVE BEEN HELD
AND ALL THE APPEALS THAT HAVE
BEEN MADE AND DENIED,
THAT HE IS GOING TO SURVIVE.
I THINK ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT THEY SHOULD KILL HIM
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
IN SOME SCENARIOS,
WHY SHOULD THEY KILL HIM
WHEN THEY'RE NOT KILLING ME?
AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO
WITH JUST BEING TORN
BECAUSE I CAN'T PICK
EVERYBODY'S SIDE,
AND I CAN'T NOT HURT
THE VAN TREESE FAMILY
AND AT THE SAME TIME
SAVE HIM WITH THE TRUTH.
BUT AT THIS POINT I JUST SIMPLY
HAVE TO FORGIVE HIM AND MOVE ON.
DO YOU THINK YOU'RE
GOING TO DIE IN THIS PLACE?
DO I THINK,
PERSONALLY? NO.
YOU KNOW, FROM
WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH
WITH THE THREE TIMES,
IF THAT DOESN'T ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
THAT HOPE EXISTS,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY
ENCOURAGED ME, THOUGH,
THAT HOPE EXISTS AND
THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE
FOR THE JUDGES
TO FINALLY DO THE RIGHT THING.
I'M A FIGHTER, AND I'M NOT GOING
TO GIVE UP LIKE THAT.
I WON'T GIVE UP UNTIL
MY FINAL BREATH.
I NEVER WILL.
IF I SIT HERE AND TELL YOU
THAT I THINK I'M GOING TO DIE,
I'VE LOST HOPE,
AND I'LL NEVER LOSE HOPE.