A possible plea deal could pave the way for the release of former death row inmate Richard Glossip — and that potential agreement took center stage during a district court hearing Monday.

Glossip, who spent nearly 30 years on death row for the 1997 murder of motel owner Barry Van Treese, returned to court along with his wife, Lea Glossip, and a group of supporters. His first-degree murder conviction was overturned earlier this year by the U.S. Supreme Court, and he is currently being held at the Oklahoma County Jail.

Monday’s hearing was initially scheduled to address a request for bond. However, that took a back seat after a surprise potential plea deal surfaced last week.

Oklahoma State Representative Justin “JJ” Humphrey, who has followed Glossip’s case closely, said Monday he was aware of the plea discussions but not of any finalized deal.

“I was actually at a meeting where that agreement started,” Humphrey said. “I have known about it previously… I’m aware that there was an agreement.”

According to Glossip’s defense team, emails between their office and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in 2023 show that a plea agreement was discussed. Under that reported deal, Glossip would plead guilty to being an accessory after the fact in exchange for time served and an agreement not to sue the state, potentially leading to his release.

“If you sat 20-plus years in a penitentiary and you walk out the door, I can understand why a man would want to make that agreement,” Humphrey said. “I think his team is going to push for that.”

The Attorney General’s office, however, denies that any official agreement was finalized. Skeptical of the state's denial, Humphrey said he plans to file an open records request in an effort to uncover any agreement between the two sides.

“Let’s get those open records, and let’s let transparency — let the people decide what’s true and what’s not true,” he said.

The judge is expected to decide on Glossip’s bond by Wednesday. As for the potential plea deal, both parties are scheduled to return to court on August 14, when the judge is expected to determine whether any agreement was, in fact, reached.