Well-known talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw, better known as ‘Dr. Phil,’ along with state lawmakers Kevin McDugle and Justin Humphrey and death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean, held a rally today at the Oklahoma State Capitol in support of death-row inmate Richard Glossip.

In a news conference afterward, Dr. Phil expressed concern about what he sees as a lack of ‘checks-and-balances’ on county district attorneys and the state’s pardon and parole board.

He points out the only thing that kept Glossip from being put to death was the U.S. Supreme Court, even after Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said there were problems with the way that Glossip’s trial was conducted.

“When that’s confessed, and still nothing is done until the Supreme Court steps in, it’s troubling,” he said.

He and McDugle and Humphrey say the process of death-penalty cases in Oklahoma needs some reforms.

Although he says he doesn’t have the right vehicle to introduce such a bill yet, McDugle wants to create legislation that says if the State Attorney General vacates a death-row case, the Court of Criminal Appeals must abide by it.

Glossip was convicted of first-degree murder, after allegedly ordering the 1997 murder of his boss, Barry Van Treese.

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