The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency in a 3-2 vote Wednesday for death row prisoner Emmanuel Littlejohn. 

Littlejohn has maintained that he didn’t fire the deadly shot that killed Root-N-Scoot store owner Kenny Meers, 31, in 1992 during a robbery. Meers was working at his family-owned convenience store in southeastern Oklahoma City. 

“I know that you have heard from a variety of people who think I deserve to die. They don’t know me. They were not there,” Littlejohn said on Wednesday. “I know that I didn’t kill Mr. Meers. I admitted to my part. I committed a robbery that had devastating consequences, but I repeat, I did not kill Mr. Meers.”

Meers’ brother, Bill Meers, told the board that his brother was a good man with a soft heart. He said Meers would have easily given Littlejohn the money if he had asked. Bill Meers asked the board to reject clemency and to consider what jurors had decided. He stated the impact the murder had on their family was monumental. 

“This tragedy has had such a horrible influence on so many people who struggle to move on, especially myself,” he said. “(The) anger is unbelievable. I believe my mother died of a broken heart. I sat with her every day through the proceedings and it was tough.”

Oklahoma County jurors convicted Littlejohn and his co-accomplice, Glenn Bethany, of first-degree murder. Littlejohn was also convicted of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy. Bethany was sentenced to life in prison without parole and Littlejohn received a death sentence.

Littlejohn’s attorneys told the board that prosecutors did not present all the facts in the case to the jury during the trial and that he didn’t deserve the death penalty. 

Attorney Caitlin Hoeberlin argued Littlejohn’s case is an outlier because few people convicted in fatal robberies receive death sentences.

Attorneys for Littlejohn also played a video clip from his mother, who confessed she used drugs throughout her pregnancy at age 15 and only achieved sobriety after her son was sentenced to death.

“He’s the only son I’ve got,” his mother said.

Assistant Attorney General Tessa Henry alleged Littlejohn shot Meers in the face as he was leaving the Root-N-Scoot.

“The floor of the Root-N-Scoot, as well as Kenny’s body, was covered in his blood. Furthermore, a copious amount of blood was discovered in Kenny’s stomach and lungs,” Henry said. “At the time of his autopsy, he literally drowned in his own blood.”

Prosecutors also brought up Littlejohn’s extensive criminal history, which included dangerous assaults and robberies a few years before Meers’ death. He had a history of robbing people and blaming an accomplice for the crimes, state prosecutors said.

Littlejohn’s attorneys asked the board to recommend commuting his sentence to life in prison without parole, arguing he hasn’t been violent in over 20 years, and is now a positive role model for his children and grandchildren. 

After the board voted to recommend clemency, it will be up to Gov. Kevin Stitt to decide Littlejohn’s fate. The governor can choose to grant Littlejohn clemency or move ahead with an execution.  

In a press release, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed disappointment in the board’s vote. 

“My office intends to make our case to the governor why there should not be clemency granted to this violent and manipulative killer,” Drummond said. 

Stitt has only granted clemency to one death row prisoner since the state resumed executions in 2021 — Julius Jones.  The Frontier has asked Stitt’s office for comment and is awaiting a response. 

Littlejohn would be the third person Oklahoma has put to death this year if his execution is carried out 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 Norman Rojem Jr.