On Thursday morning, Emmanuel Littlejohn was executed in Oklahoma for the murder of a cherished convenience store owner, even though a clemency board advised that his life should be spared.

Littlejohn was found guilty of murdering Kenneth Meers during a robbery in 1992. While he admitted to participating in the robbery, he maintained throughout his life that it was his accomplice who fired the fatal shot.

This execution marked the fourth in the United States within a week and occurred just hours before Alabama planned to execute Alan Eugene Miller using nitrogen gas that evening.

Littlejohn appealed to Governor Stitt for his life after the state’s Pardons and Parole Board recommended clemency in August, providing a brief glimmer of hope for his supporters.

“A jury convicted (Littlejohn) and sentenced him to death, a decision supported by numerous judges,” Stitt stated after the execution. “As a governor who values law and order, it’s difficult for me to overturn that ruling unilaterally.”

In an interview with YSL News prior to his execution, Littlejohn conveyed his message to Stitt: “I would ask the governor to do what he believes is right.”

During his clemency hearing, Littlejohn also expressed remorse to Meers’ family.

“Please listen, I’m sorry,” Littlejohn stated. “Taking my life won’t improve things for Oklahoma or the Meers family.”

How was Emmanuel Littlejohn executed?

Littlejohn was executed using a three-drug combination: midazolam, vecuronium bromide, and potassium chloride. He was pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m. as per officials from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

Littlejohn’s last meal and final moments

Rev. Jeff Hood, his spiritual advisor and an activist against the death penalty, had his final meeting with Littlejohn on Tuesday.

Hood shared that Littlejohn’s last day included visits with his mother and stepfather, along with phone calls to his daughter and granddaughter.

“Time and again, I’ve noticed that those who exhibit great courage in their final moments are often the most genuine, embracing who they truly are right until the end,” Hood noted.

His last meal consisted of a large meat pizza, two slices of cheesecake, and a Coca-Cola.

YSL News is in the process of verifying what Littlejohn’s last words were as he lay on the execution table.

What was Emmanuel Littlejohn convicted of?

Littlejohn was one of two individuals involved in a robbery at the Root-N-Scoot convenience store in southern Oklahoma City on June 19, 1992. He was just 20 years old at that time.

Kenneth Meers, 31, was shot in the face while attempting to confront the robbers with a broom.

Witness testimonies varied on who fired the gun. Supporters of Littlejohn highlighted accounts that identified the “taller man” as the shooter, referring to Meers’ accomplice, Glenn Bethany. However, court testimonies from the robbery survivors pointed to Littlejohn as the shooter.

During the clemency hearing, prosecutors argued that the shooting resulted from debts owed by Littlejohn and Bethany while selling drugs at the time.

Littlejohn had been released from prison shortly before for a previous conviction involving burglary, assault, and robbery.

The burglary charge stemmed from an incident where he admitted to stealing a car radio after an accident. The robbery and assault charges were from a different robbery related to drug activity.

Bethany received a life sentence without parole after being convicted of first-degree murder in 1993.

Littlejohn was sentenced to death for his first-degree murder conviction in 1994. In 2000, a second jury reaffirmed the death penalty during a resentencing trial due to improper testimony from an informant.

Who was Kenneth Meers?

Kenneth Meers was the youngest of six siblings and spent his childhood in southeastern Oklahoma City. He had a passion for music, enjoyed his work, and loved skiing in Colorado, as noted in the state’s anti-clemency report.

Since the age of 13, Meers had been working at the Root-N-Scoot convenience store, which he later co-owned with his brother, Bill Meers.

During Littlejohn’s trial, Bill Meers shared with the court that Kenneth had developed a strong bond with the store and the local community. Their mother, Delores Meers, testified that Kenneth frequently helped others who were struggling and even organized an annual Christmas gift raffle for children in the area.

The Meers family expressed their support for Kenneth’s execution, portraying him as a community-oriented individual committed to helping those in distress.

“I believe my mother passed away from heartbreak,” Bill Meers remarked during the clemency hearing. “I cannot forgive this man for treating Kenny’s life as if it were worthless.”

Littlejohn’s Arguments for Clemency

A key point in Littlejohn’s clemency plea involved accusations of prosecutorial misconduct. His legal team argued that during the initial trial, the prosecution claimed Bethany was the shooter, while at the following trial, they shifted this claim to Littlejohn.

“I believe Emmanuel wasn’t the shooter. On a fundamental level, before the parole board, there’s uncertainty,” said Hood in a prior interview with YSL News. “It appears that the district attorney and prosecutors created a scenario where executing someone is unjust because there’s no certainty regarding who the actual shooter is.”

During the clemency proceedings, Littlejohn’s attorneys highlighted the negative influences of his childhood, citing his mother’s addiction and a violent environment. They presented a video showing his mother acknowledging her drug use during her pregnancy and throughout Littlejohn’s early years, stating she only got sober after he was sentenced to death.

“At the time of the Root-N-Scoot robbery, (Littlejohn)’s brain, at 20 years old, was still developing significant areas, and given his troubled upbringing with repeated exposure to violence and drugs, his cognitive development was already compromised compared to usual 20-year-olds,” Littlejohn’s legal representatives stated in their clemency application.

They contended that Littlejohn had utilized his prison time to mature and had become a positive influence for his daughter and grandchildren.

This story has been updated with new information