Richard Glossip, a former Oklahoma death-row inmate, pleaded guilty Thursday to accessory to murder in the 1997 killing of motel owner Barry Van Treese, and prosecutors dropped a first-degree murder charge^1,2.

Oklahoma County District Judge Natalie Mai is scheduled to sentence him at a hearing set for Dec. 17, with Oklahoma Voice also listing Dec. 18^1,2. The plea was described as blind, with no agreed sentence¹.

Defense attorney Don Knight said Glossip could be released for time served after nearly 30 years in custody, including time on death row^1,2. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and the Van Treese family asked the judge to impose the maximum 45 years^1,2.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2025 threw out Glossip's murder conviction, and he was released on a $500,000 bond in May to await a new trial^1,2. Prosecutors had said they would not again seek the death penalty¹.

Prosecutors have alleged Glossip paid Justin Sneed, who admitted beating Van Treese, to carry out the killing; Sneed testified against Glossip and is serving life without parole¹. Knight said Glossip had nothing to do with planning or carrying out the killing and that the accessory plea concerned after-the-fact conduct^1,3.

The Van Treese family said in a statement that allowing a lesser plea was difficult and that they want the judge to impose the maximum sentence¹.