Rear glass lift gate stuck closed

[RN2001]

HELP!!
I need to remove the rear internal paneling on my Explorer. However, the rear
glass lift gate won't open. How do I remove the panelling when I can't get the
glass open??
I am removing the panelling because the lift gate itself is stuck closed as well. I can't open it from the outside. All of my research says to remove the interior panelling to gain access to the latch where I can fix it. However, in all of my research, the glass lift gate doesn't have a problem.
I have a bookshelf in the back of my car that I am trying to get out so I don't have to continue to shuffle it around. Plus, I don't want people thinking that there is something of interest in my vehicle worth stealing.
This is a high priority item on my end! Please assist!!!

 

[Mike65]

I had a similar problem with our 99 Sport, that I could not open the rear glass with the push/release button on the rear hatch. I opened the hatch & removed strap that is attached the the rear panel & whatever screws there are & IIRC there are a few of the push clips like the ones that hold the door panels on. Make sure you remove the screw under the oval cap on the top opening of the trim panel by the glass in the area of the latch. After all that I was able to remove the interior panel with it just hanging by the glass latch so I could get into the hatch to be able to trip the latch to open the rear glass to get the trim panel the rest of the way off. I then had to adjust the linkage (which took several tries) to the release button & now it works fine.