By Kelly Corbett
syracuse.com
On Thursday, an Oklahoma judge allowed former death row prisoner Richard Glossip to be released on bond while awaiting retrial over a 1997 killing that put him on the brink of execution three separate times. His bail was set at $500,000.
Following the announcement, film producer Scott Budnick, who has advocated for Glossip’s release, announced on Instagram that Glossip was leaving prison after 29 years behind bars. Budnick said Kim Kardashian “graciously paid for” the bond.
Per Natalie Mai’s orders, Glossip will wear an electronic monitoring device and won’t be allowed to travel outside Oklahoma. He also must not contact any witnesses in the case, or consume any drugs or alcohol.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction after determining that prosecutors allowed a key witness to give false testimony despite knowing it was inaccurate. The court ruled this violated Glossip’s right to a fair trial.
Glossip was originally convicted for his role in the 1997 killing of Barry Van Treese, a motel owner and Glossip’s former boss in Oklahoma City . Prosecutors alleged that Glossip hired another person to beat Van Treese to death with a baseball bat.
During his time on death row, Glossip faced nine scheduled execution dates and was served a “last meal” three times before receiving last-minute stays.
“Tonight he is home in his wife Lea’s arms, for the first time EVER,” Budnick further wrote in the Instagram post.
Unfortunately, Glossip’s legal battles are not over. Oklahoma prosecutors plan to retry him for murder, though they have said they will not pursue the death penalty in the new proceedings.
“That is the next step of the fight,” Budnick wrote about the upcoming retrial.
Kardashian joins other high-profile advocates who have supported Glossip’s claims of innocence, including actress Susan Sarandon and advocate Jason Flom .
Kardashian has frequently spoken about her dedication to criminal justice reform. Although not yet a lawyer, she successfully completed a four-year legal apprenticeship through California’s Law Office Study Program and passed the “baby bar” in 2021. She has not yet passed the full California Bar Exam required to practice law.
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