The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 to recommend clemency for Emmanuel Littlejohn, a 52-year-old man on death row for his involvement in the 1992 shooting death of a convenience store owner during a robbery. Littlejohn's fate now lies in the hands of Governor Kevin Stitt, who has the authority to commute his sentence to life in prison without parole.
Littlejohn's sister, Augustina Sanders, expressed her determination to continue fighting for her brother's life following the board's decision. She emphasized that her brother is not the person portrayed by the prosecution.
Prosecutors alleged that Littlejohn and his co-defendant, Glenn Bethany, committed the robbery to settle a drug debt, resulting in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Kenneth Meers, the store owner. While Bethany received a life sentence without parole, Littlejohn was sentenced to death by two separate juries.
During the hearing, Assistant Attorney General Tessa Henry highlighted the testimonies of two teenagers who identified Littlejohn as the shooter. However, Littlejohn maintained his innocence regarding the fatal shot, admitting to his role in the robbery but denying the act of killing Meers.
Littlejohn's defense team argued that cases involving robbery-related murders rarely lead to death sentences in Oklahoma today. They pointed out that the prosecution's stance on the shooter's identity in both cases raised concerns about the fairness of the sentencing.
The defense also highlighted the historical context of the case, noting that the aggressive pursuit of death penalties by former District Attorney Bob Macy, who prosecuted Littlejohn, may have influenced the outcome. They emphasized that the evidence against Littlejohn was inconclusive and questioned the justice of executing him based on uncertain guilt.
Littlejohn's attorneys contended that the evolving standards of justice in Oklahoma would likely result in a different sentencing outcome if the case were tried today. They urged Governor Stitt to consider these factors in his decision regarding Littlejohn's clemency.
