Oklahoma Executes Man for 1992 Convenience Store Killing

Oklahoma Executes Man for 1992 Store Owner Shooting Despite Clemency Recommendation

Emmanuel Littlejohn, 52, was executed in Oklahoma for his role in the 1992 fatal shooting of a convenience store owner, Kenneth Meers. Littlejohn received a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and was declared dead at 10:17 a.m.

Governor Kevin Stitt declined to commute Littlejohn’s sentence to life in prison without parole, citing the jury’s decision to sentence him to death. Stitt, known for his tough stance on law and order, has only granted clemency once out of five recommendations from the parole board during his tenure.

The parole board’s 3-2 vote to recommend clemency raised questions about who fired the fatal shot and the clarity of the jury’s sentencing. Littlejohn’s attorneys argued that a life sentence without parole would have been a more appropriate punishment.

Littlejohn’s execution comes just days after the controversial execution of Marcellus Williams in Missouri, where doubts about his guilt persisted. Littlejohn’s final moments were witnessed by his mother and daughter, with his spiritual advisor praying over him.

If an execution in Alabama proceeds as scheduled, it would mark the first time in decades that five death row inmates were executed in the U.S. within one week. Littlejohn’s case highlights the ongoing debate over the death penalty and the evolving standards of justice in the legal system.