Oklahoma plans to execute its third prisoner this year unless Governor Kevin Stitt grants mercy to Emmanuel Littlejohn, who was sentenced to death for killing Root-N-Scoot store owner Kenny Meers, 31, during a 1992 robbery in southeast Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency in a 3-2 vote in August for Littlejohn, who has maintained he didn’t fire the fatal shot that killed Meers. Littlejohn admitted to the board that he committed a crime with “devastating” consequences, but said another man killed Meers.

In a press release, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed disappointment in the board’s vote. He said Littlejohn is a violent and manipulative killer.

Littlejohn and his legal team claimed his co-accomplice fired the deadly shot. But state prosecutors said evidence and witnesses on the scene identified Littlejohn as the shooter. Meers’ family spoke at the Pardon and Parole Board and urged the board to deny clemency and proceed with the execution. 

State prosecutors said at the hearing that Meers’ autopsy showed he drowned in his blood after being shot.

Littlejohn has been on death row for 32 years and isn’t asking to be released from prison. His attorneys asked the board to recommend commuting his sentence to life in prison without parole — the same punishment his co-accomplice received.They argued that Littlejohn hasn’t been violent in over 20 years and is now a positive role model for his children and grandchildren. 

Littlejohn is the first death row prisoner the board has recommended for clemency this year. Stitt has only granted clemency to one death row prisoner, Julius Jones.  

A spokesperson for Stitt’s office told The Frontier Stitt has already spoken to representatives for the state and Littlejohn. Littlejohn’s execution is set for 10 a.m. on Sept. 26. 

Oklahoma executions since 2021
Oct. 28, 2021: John Marion Grant
Dec. 9, 2021: Bigler Jobe Stouffer II
Jan. 27, 2022: Donald Anthony Grant
Feb. 17, 2022: Gilbert Postelle
Aug. 25, 2022: James Allen Coddington
Oct. 20, 2022: Benjamin Cole
Nov. 17, 2022: Richard Fairchild
Jan. 12, 2023: Scott Eizember
July 20, 2023: Jemaine Cannon
Sep. 21, 2023: Anthony Sanchez
Nov. 30, 2023: Phillip Hancock
April 4, 2024: Michael DeWayne Smith
June 27, 2024: Richard Rojem

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Oklahoma plans to carry out third execution of 2024 unless the governor grants mercy

by Ashlynd Huffman, The Frontier
September 19, 2024

<h1>Oklahoma plans to carry out third execution of 2024 unless the governor grants mercy</h1> <p class="byline">by Ashlynd Huffman, The Frontier <br />September 19, 2024</p> <p class=”has-drop-cap”>Oklahoma plans to execute its third prisoner this year unless Governor Kevin Stitt grants mercy to Emmanuel Littlejohn, who was sentenced to death for killing Root-N-Scoot store owner Kenny Meers, 31, during a 1992 robbery in southeast Oklahoma City.</p> <p>The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-pardon-and-parole-board-recommends-clemency-for-death-row-prisoner-who-claims-he-didnt-kill-store-owner/”>clemency</a> in a 3-2 vote in August for Littlejohn, who has maintained he didn’t fire the fatal shot that killed Meers. Littlejohn admitted to the board that he committed a crime with “devastating” consequences, but said another man killed Meers.</p> <p>In a press release, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed disappointment in the board’s vote. He said Littlejohn is a violent and manipulative killer.</p> <figure class=”wp-block-table”> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </figure> <p>Littlejohn and his legal team claimed his co-accomplice fired the deadly shot. But state prosecutors said evidence and witnesses on the scene identified Littlejohn as the shooter. Meers’ family spoke at the Pardon and Parole Board and urged the board to deny clemency and proceed with the execution.&nbsp;</p> <p>State prosecutors said at the hearing that Meers’ autopsy showed he drowned in his blood after being shot.</p> <p>Littlejohn has been on death row for 32 years and isn’t asking to be released from prison. His attorneys asked the board to recommend commuting his sentence to life in prison without parole — the same punishment his co-accomplice received.They argued that Littlejohn hasn’t been violent in over 20 years and is now a positive role model for his children and grandchildren.&nbsp;</p> <p>Littlejohn is the first death row prisoner the board has recommended for clemency this year. Stitt has only granted clemency to one death row prisoner, <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/hallelujah-thank-you-jesus-julius-jones-will-spend-the-rest-of-his-life-in-prison-but-his-family-isnt-giving-up/”>Julius Jones</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>A spokesperson for Stitt’s office told <em>The Frontier</em> Stitt has already spoken to representatives for the state and Littlejohn. Littlejohn’s execution is set for 10 a.m. on Sept. 26.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Oklahoma executions since 2021<br /></strong>Oct. 28, 2021: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/condemned-man-went-into-convulsions-during-oklahomas-first-execution-in-nearly-seven-years/”>John Marion Grant<br /></a>Dec. 9, 2021: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/bigler-stouffer-asked-god-to-forgive-his-executioners-as-he-became-the-second-man-oklahoma-put-to-death-this-year/”>Bigler Jobe Stouffer II<br /></a>Jan. 27, 2022: Donald Anthony Grant<br />Feb. 17, 2022: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/no-last-words-for-man-executed-for-2005-quadruple-killing/”>Gilbert Postelle<br /></a>Aug. 25, 2022: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-begins-two-year-execution-spree-by-putting-james-coddington-to-death/”>James Allen Coddington<br /></a>Oct. 20, 2022: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-executes-diagnosed-schizophrenic-benjamin-cole-over-attorneys-protests/”>Benjamin Cole<br /></a>Nov. 17, 2022: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-puts-richard-fairchild-to-death-tying-the-state-with-texas-for-most-executions-this-year/”>Richard Fairchild<br /></a>Jan. 12, 2023: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-executes-scott-eizember-the-first-of-11-planned-executions-for-2023/”>Scott Eizember<br /></a>July 20, 2023: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/with-a-thumbs-up-oklahoma-executes-jemaine-cannon-for-1995-tulsa-murder/”>Jemaine Cannon<br /></a>Sep. 21, 2023: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-executes-anthony-sanchez-the-10th-death-sentence-carried-out-in-23-months/”>Anthony Sanchez<br /></a>Nov. 30, 2023: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-carries-out-final-execution-of-2023/”>Phillip Hancock</a><br />April 4, 2024: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-executes-michael-dewayne-smith-for-two-murders-in-2002/”>Michael DeWayne Smith</a><br />June 27, 2024: <a href=”https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-executes-man-who-raped-and-murdered-former-stepdaughter/”>Richard Rojem</a></p> <p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/oklahoma-plans-to-carry-out-third-execution-of-2024-unless-the-governor-grants-mercy/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.readfrontier.org">The Frontier</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/www.readfrontier.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-favicon.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://www.readfrontier.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=25738&amp;ga4=289643089" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></p> Copy to Clipboard

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