Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon is asking the pubic to write to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, who she describes as a “horrible person,” to urge her to grant a stay of execution for Richard Glossip, a man who is scheduled to be executed by the state next month.
Glossip was found guilty of the murder of his boss, an Oklahoma City motel owner named Barry Allan Van Tresse in 1997.
Van Treese was killed by 20-year-old Justin Sneed, who confessed to beating the man to death with a baseball bat, and is currently serving life in prison. Sneed testified against Glossip during the highly publicized 1998 trial, telling a jury he was persuaded by Glossip to kill Van Treese over money.
Glossip was granted a stay of execution in January by the United States Supreme Court following the perceived botched execution of Oklahoma convict Clayton Lockett, but has now run out of options and will die by lethal injection September 16, which has Sarandon name calling.
Sarandon won an Academy Award in 1995 for her portrayal of death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean in the film “Dead Man Walking.” Prejean is currently advocating for Glossip and will be his spiritual adviser prior his death.
During a conversation with Sky News Thursday, 68-year-old Sarandon attacked Fallin, saying “The governor of Oklahoma is just a horrible person, and a woman, so it’s even more discouraging.”
Sarandon added:
“He’s (Glossip) a perfect example of what’s wrong with the death penalty, and so of course, I’m hoping that some kind of exposure will give him the opportunity to maybe get his sentence at least commuted, because he’s clearly innocent, and on top of that the guy who actually killed the person is in a minimum security prison for the rest of his life.”
Breitbart News is awaiting a reply from Governor Fallin’s office, but Alex Weintz, a spokesman for the governor, told FOX 25 in Oklahoma City Thursday Fallin believes Glossip is guilty.
“We believe he is guilty and so did the jurors who sentenced him to death and the judge who signed the death warrant,” said Weintz.
Sarandon told Sky News Thursday: “Richard’s case is so typical… Bad representation; two trials that were ridiculous, no physical evidence… He’s put there by a snitch who actually did kill the person, and then the snitch has life and this guy is being put to death on the 16th.”
She added: “Once a mistake has been made within a judicial system, people just do not want to admit that mistake has been made and it becomes impossible to readdress them… the only thing now that is going to give him a chance to survive is public opinion – is public embarrassment.”
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