McALESTER, Okla. — After nearly four decades on death row, Richard Norman Rojem Jr., 66, was executed Thursday morning at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary for the 1984 murder of his former stepdaughter, Layla Dawn Cummings, who was just 7 at the time of her death. Rojem, who had exhausted his avenues of appeal only in 2017 and maintained his innocence until the end, declined to make any final statements before being pronounced dead.
The execution marks the culmination of a lengthy process, delayed partly due to successful challenges by Rojem to his initial sentence. He was resentenced twice, once in 2003 and again in 2007. The state resumed its use of capital punishment in October 2021 following a suspension due to procedural issues that raised concerns about the method of execution.
On the morning of the execution, the lethal injection was administered without any reported complications. “There were no incidents, issues or problems,” stated Steven Harpe, the executive director of the Department of Corrections. Tulsa television reporter Reagan Ledbetter, who has witnessed multiple executions, described the procedure as “very routine.”
Layla’s mother, Mindy Cummings, was present during the execution and expressed relief at the closure of the case. A statement read on her behalf by the attorney general emphasized her gratitude for justice served and reassurance that Rojem could no longer harm anyone.
Rojem’s case had garnered attention not only for the brutal nature of the crime but also for its longevity in the judicial system, making him one of the longest-serving death row inmates both in Oklahoma and nationally. His execution was the 13th since Oklahoma resumed executions in 2021.
Throughout his incarceration, Rojem claimed he had no role in the murder or abduction of Layla. During an earlier appeal to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, Rojem asserted, “I did not kidnap Layla, I did not rape Layla, and I did not murder her.” Despite his assertions, the board voted unanimously to deny clemency, leaving no possibility for a commutation of his sentence.
Adding a personal dimension to the day, Rojem was attended in his final moments by a Buddhist monk, Reverend Master Daishin Yalon, who stood by as a spiritual guide under the watchful eye of a guard. Converted to Zen Buddhism while in prison, Rojem had adopted Buddhist practices and was known to fellow followers as Daiji.
His final meal, reflective of simple tastes, consisted of two small double cheese, double pepperoni pizzas from Little Caesars, two cups of vanilla ice cream, and a bottle of Vernors ginger ale, consumed shortly before the execution.
The closure brought by Rojem’s execution is seen by some as a necessary conclusion to a protracted legal and emotional process, providing solace to those affected by the crime. Yet, it also reignites discussions on the application and implications of capital punishment, as Oklahoma continues to carry out executions, with the next scheduled involving Emmanuel Littlejohn for a 1992 murder case.
Meanwhile, the community and legal systems grapple with the broader issues of justice and rehabilitation, highlighted by the long and contentious path to Rojem’s execution — a narrative of legal battles, claimed innocence, and the relentless pursuit of closure by a grieving family.