Richard Glossip’s spiritual advisor speaks on ruling to grant new trial
Reverend David Wiggs with Boston Avenue United Methodist Church is the spiritual advisor to Glossip.
By Sharon Phillips
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TULSA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — The spiritual advisor to death row inmate Richard Glossip is speaking out after the Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that he should get a new trial.
Reverend David Wiggs with Boston Avenue United Methodist Church is the spiritual advisor to Glossip.
2 News met up with him to discuss the Supreme Court’s latest decision and how his relationship with Glossip began.
“I was senior pastor here until about 6 months ago for eleven years. We’re broadcast on local television that happens to go all the way to McAlister.
Richard is on death row in McAlester and begins to watch us on Sunday morning and sort of adopts us as his church,” said Wiggs.
He said at the time, he didn’t know that Glossip was watching his online sermons until he began writing letters to him from his cell in McAlester.
That’s when Wiggs said he traveled to the prison to meet with him in person before Glossip became an official member of Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.
From that moment, Wiggs said he welcomed him into the fold.
“We ended up receiving him as a member, and we just continue to correspond and be in touch with him and his legal team over these many years now with all of the ups and downs of his experience with the penal system,” said Wiggs.
Glossip claims he is innocent of the 1997 death of Barry Van Treese.
His conviction was based primarily on the testimony of a man named Justin Sneed, who admitted he killed Van Treese but claimed Glossip was responsible for orchestrating the murder to gain access to Van Treese’s money.
For years, attorneys and independent investigators have raised concerns about his conviction.
Wigg says he was overjoyed when he got the news Tuesday about Glossip being granted a new trial.
“I just happened to see the news flash on my phone yesterday morning early and so I text his wife right away and said, O my gosh, is this really true,?” said Wiggs.
Wiggs said he is amazed at the faith that Glossip has had throughout this entire process and continues to advocate for him.
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