OKLAHOMA CITY — Amidst a swirl of doubt and legal appeals, 52-year-old Emmanuel Littlejohn is slated for execution this Thursday for a murder committed during a 1992 convenience store robbery in Oklahoma City. With significant questions yet unanswered regarding his guilt—particularly who fired the deadly shot that killed store owner Kenneth Meers, 31—his fate hangs in the balance.
In the robbery that turned deadly, Littlejohn and his then-accomplice, Glenn Bethany, were both charged under a statute facilitating felony murder charges if a death occurs during the commission of a violent felony. While both were convicted, their trials told conflicting narratives. In Bethany’s hearing, he was depicted as the shooter. However, by the time of Littlejohn’s trial, prosecutors portrayed him as the one who pulled the trigger, which directly contradicts earlier assertions.
During his trial, the prosecution emphasized that Littlejohn was the sole armed individual, thus insinuating his ultimate responsibility for Meers’ death. However, Littlejohn has consistently disputed these claims, acknowledging participation in the robbery but denying the act of murder. “When I left the store, Mr. Meers was still alive,” Littlejohn expressed in a recent interview, underscoring his claim of innocence in the actual shooting.
The case is further complicated by contentious jury decisions and legal interpretations over the years. Initially, Littlejohn’s 1994 death sentence was overturned in 1998 due to ambiguous evidence about the shooter’s identity. However, re-sentencing in 2000 reinstated the death penalty under the same cloud of doubt.
Jurors from the 1994 and 2000 trials have come forward with sworn affidavits indicating confusion over the sentencing options, particularly misunderstanding the implications of a life sentence without the possibility of parole. This confusion factored heavily into their decision for the death penalty, they claimed, raising questions about the fairness and informed nature of their decision.
Littlejohn’s legal defense has not only fought to highlight these inconsistencies but also advocated for his clemency. The state’s Pardon and Parole Board recently leaned in his favor with a narrow 3-2 vote recommending his sentence be reduced to life without parole. Despite this, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond opposed the clemency, labeling Littlejohn as a “violent and manipulative killer” in his statement to the media.
Governor Kevin Stitt now holds Littlejohn’s life in his hands, as he deliberates the board’s recommendation against a backdrop of considerable pressure from various facets of the community and the legal sphere. To date, Stitt has rarely granted clemency despite multiple recommendations from the board.
Complicating the emotional landscape of this decision are Littlejohn’s familial ties; he has openly spoken about his hope to survive for the sake of his daughter and a new grandchild. “I know it’s hard for him to do, but I have faith in him that he can do it,” Littlejohn said regarding the governor’s impending decision.
As the clock ticks toward Thursday’s scheduled execution, the community, activists, and legal observers wait anxiously, hoping for a resolution that respects both the gravity of the crime and the uncertainties that have shadowed the case for nearly three decades.