Newly released DA texts show anger over AG stance on death row inmate Richard Glossip

In harshly worded texts last year, a district attorney from southwest Oklahoma called Attorney General Gentner Drummond a "shiny" politician and "douche" for his position on death row inmate Richard Glossip.

"Drummond needs to stick to his job, not looking at his run for governor," District Attorney Jason Hicks wrote in one text last May.

Hicks is the district attorney of Caddo, Grady, Jefferson and Stephens counties. He released texts and emails Thursday after a judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two state legislators over the records. "There is nothing to hide," Hicks said in a news release.

The records show further the depth of the anger prosecutors felt toward Drummond after he called last year for Glossip's conviction to be set aside.

The AG told the U.S. Supreme Court a 2004 retrial was unfair because the key witness against Glossip gave "false testimony that was not corrected by the prosecution." The Supreme Court in January agreed to consider the case again.

More: US Supreme Court will hear death row inmate Richard Glossip's retrial case

Prosecutors also were angry that Drummond personally urged the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board to recommend clemency for Glossip. Hicks, other district attorneys and former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater attended the clemency hearing April 26 in support of the victim's family.

"This is a farce!!!" Hicks commented during the clemency hearing in a text to Kathryn Brewer, the executive coordinator of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council.

He also texted a photo of two clowns, after Brewer texted a photo of a circus ringmaster saying, "Step Right Up Folks."

"He is a bigger douche than I ever expected!" Hicks texted Brewer.

The next day, Hicks texted Brewer that the victim's family deserves better and so does Oklahoma.

"It is time to end the 'shiny' politicians who have no spine and get people who are willing to fight for justice into the offices that can change things for victims and law enforcement," he wrote.

Glossip, 61, was not recommended for clemency because the parole board split 2-2 after one member recused. He is suing for another clemency hearing by five impartial members, if his conviction is not set aside.

His attorneys contend parole board member Cathy Stocker, who voted against him, was not impartial. They have suggested she instigated the district attorneys' "protest" at the clemency hearing. Stocker, a former district attorney, left the parole board last August.

In a response Friday to a request for comment, Drummond's communications director pointed out the attorney general is a former prosecutor himself.

"Attorney General Drummond has a terrific working relationship with Oklahoma’s district attorneys," the spokesman, Phil Bacharach, told The Oklahoman in an email. "He understands there will be times when his pursuit of justice on behalf of the State will upset those who disagree, but AG Drummond will always fight to uphold the law and protect the rights of every Oklahoman.

"Despite passionate difference of opinion over whether Mr. Glossip received a fair trial, the Attorney General and Oklahoma’s district attorneys are committed to protecting public safety and delivering justice for the victims of violent crime.”

Drummond, a Republican, is in his first term as attorney general and has not announced he is running for governor in 2026. His position on Glossip actually could hurt him if he does.

Why is Richard Glossip on death row?

Glossip has become one of the state's most high-profile death row inmates because of the wide support for his innocence claim.

Glossip was convicted at his retrial of the murder of his boss, Oklahoma City motel owner Barry Van Treese. Jurors chose a death sentence after agreeing he had paid to have it done.

The victim was found beaten to death in Room 102 of his motel, the Best Budget Inn, on Jan. 7, 1997.

The key witness, Justin Sneed, confessed to killing Van Treese with a baseball bat. Sneed, the motel's maintenance man, said Glossip pressured him into doing it and offered him $10,000 as payment.

The new issue in the case centers around testimony from Sneed at the retrial that he was given lithium "for some reason" in jail in 1997 after at first getting Sudafed for a cold. "I don't know why," he told jurors. "I never seen no psychiatrist or anything."

Glossip's attorneys say they now have located a sheriff's form that proves Sneed had been diagnosed in jail with bipolar disorder. Both Glossip's attorneys and the AG now contend prosecutors at the retrial knew Sneed's "innocuous explanation" for his lithium use was false.

Both prosecutors at Glossip's retrial deny committing any misconduct.

Glossip's attorneys claim Sneed actually killed the motel owner during a botched robbery for drug money. They claim he lied that Glossip was involved to avoid getting the death penalty himself.

What else is in the texts and emails?

Also harshly critical of Drummond in the newly released records of Drummond was Prater, who retired last year after 16 years as Oklahoma County DA.

In an email two days before the clemency hearing, Prater wrote, "This ag believes that he can play appellate court, jury, judge and GOD."

After the clemency hearing, Prater texted, "He's bought and paid for."

The texts also included criticism of two of Glossip's supporters, state Rep. Kevin McDugle and state Rep. Justin Humphrey. Both Republicans say they are death penalty supporters.

Hicks in August texted another district attorney that Humphrey claiming "he is in favor of the death penalty is like saying a horse supports glue factories!"

"These guys!" he added.

The other district attorney, Angela Marsee, texted in October, "He won't let the truth get in the way of a good story."

In texts to Marsee and Hicks last year, District Attorney Brian Hermanson called McDugle a nimrod and a joke.

Marsee is district attorney of Beckham, Custer, Ellis, Roger Mills and Washita counties. Hermanson is district attorney of Kay and Noble counties.

The texts also contained criticism of Phil McGraw, who hosted the highly popular syndicated daytime show, "Dr. Phil."

McGraw spoke last May at a rally for Glossip at the state Capitol.

"If I'm in trouble, think I can get some woke celebrities and legislators to come to my rescue?" Hicks wrote about a news report that "Dr. Phil" was joining the rally. "What inmate is next?"

Hermanson responded, "I am amazed at the legal training these celebs must have so that they can know better than the judges, lawyers, jurors and victims in the case."

About the lawsuit against Hicks

Hicks was sued in December over his texts and emails by McDugle and Humphrey in Stephens County District Court. They accused him of denying access to public records about his involvement in opposing clemency for Glossip.

"We think there’s some wrongdoing," Humphrey told a television station, KXII, earlier this month. "We’re thinking ... there’s some abuse, but we won’t know that until we’re able to investigate and we can’t investigate if they won’t give us the records."

In a news release Thursday, Hicks maintained the records were not related to official state business but said he was releasing them anyway. He said there is nothing in them that shows he was "engaged in any sort of effort to somehow deprive Mr. Glossip ... of a fair commutation hearing."

He said he went to the hearing "just as any other citizen could have done to simply support the victim's family." He said some of his opinions were expressed in frustration and anger and were never intended to be made public.

He called on McDugle and Humphrey "to be transparent" and release all their communications about the Glossip case, too, even though legislators are not covered by the Open Records Act.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: AG slammed in texts for stance on death row inmate Richard Glossip