With just days before his execution, Oklahoma death row inmate Emmanuel Littlejohn is pleading for clemency from Governor Kevin Stitt. His mother, advocates, and over 10,000 petitioners are joining him in asking for mercy.
Littlejohn, convicted for the 1992 murder of convenience store owner Kenny Meers, has maintained his innocence in the actual shooting, and a recorded message features him asking for mercy from Gov. Stitt, saying "I would appreciate it if you would save my life… I pray that you would please save my life," as reported by News 9, while OKC FOX reports that the Executive Director of Death Penalty Action, Abraham Bonowitz, has further explained that two separate juries for Littlejohn and his accomplice were told contrasting stories by prosecutors on who was the actual shooter, with Bethany being the taller man, and thus according to eyewitnesses, the one more likely to have made the deadly shot.
The campaign for Littlejohn's clemency has also involved spiritual advisors, notable anti-death penalty activists, and a broader public outreach with messages displayed across billboards in Oklahoma City, as News 9 details; the Meers family, however, remains steadfast in their desire for the execution to proceed, with Kenny's brother Bill Meers saying, "I cannot and will not forgive this man for carelessly finding Kenny’s life meant nothing."
Despite opposition, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency for Littlejohn in August, according to KOCO. Governor Stitt has not yet commented on his decision, but he has until the execution date to act. If he does not, activists plan to deliver the signed petitions supporting Littlejohn to his office.
