During his clemency hearing on Wednesday morning, death row inmate Emmanuel Littlejohn presented his case to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board.
Littlejohn spoke about his personal transformation, stating that in his youth, he harbored anger towards the world. However, after three decades, he is now a different person altogether.
On September 26, 2024, Littlejohn is set to be executed after spending 30 years on death row for the murder of Kenny Meers, a convenience store manager. Meers was on duty at the Root-N-Scoot convenience store when he was fatally shot during a robbery in 1992.
For the past thirty years, Littlejohn has consistently denied responsibility for Meers’ death, despite being convicted of first-degree murder and admitting to his role in the robbery.
Littlejohn admitted to committing a robbery that had caused severe consequences but stressed that he had not killed Mr. Meers. “I did not kill Mr. Meers,” he reiterated.
According to his statement, Glenn Bethany was the one who pulled the trigger, his accomplice.
During Wednesday’s hearing, both the Meers family and the state strongly urged the board to reject clemency for Littlejohn. They presented evidence that Littlejohn has a violent history and has not shown any remorse for his actions.
According to Bill Meers, Kenny’s brother, he strongly believes that their mother passed away due to a broken heart. He firmly stated that he cannot bring himself to forgive the man who carelessly made the decision that Kenny’s life was worthless.
According to Joshua Fanelli from the AG’s office, Littlejohn has been a menace to society for years due to his selfish and manipulative behavior, and it’s high time for him to face the consequences.
Littlejohn’s legal team argued that during his resentencing trial in 2000, the jurors did not have a complete understanding of the life without parole sentencing option.
According to Callie Heller, one of Littlejohn’s attorneys, there is fresh evidence that highlights the existing confusion on the matter, which has not been countered so far.
The fate of the clemency request now lies with Governor Kevin Stitt, after a narrow 3-2 vote in favor of granting it.
Ceily Mason, the mother of Littlejohn, expressed that her son was young and made mistakes, but he has since matured and deserves a second chance. She remains hopeful and asks for prayers as this is only the first step in his journey. Mason stated, “Keep on praying and hope everything works out…Hopefully, God delivers.”
In regards to Wednesday’s vote, Attorney General Gentner Drummond has provided his statement as follows:
Although the decision made by the Pardon and Parole Board has left me disheartened, I am grateful for their careful consideration. However, my belief remains firm that the family of Kenny Meers has already endured an extensive wait for justice to be served. As such, my team and I plan to present our argument to the governor outlining why clemency should not be granted to this dangerous and deceitful criminal.