Emmanuel Littlejohn was executed in Oklahoma for his involvement in the 1992 shooting death of a convenience store owner, despite a recommendation from the state’s parole board to spare his life. Governor Kevin Stitt declined to commute his sentence to life without parole, citing respect for the jury’s decision. Littlejohn’s execution was the third in Oklahoma this year and the 14th since executions resumed in 2021. If another execution in Alabama proceeded as planned, it would be the first time in decades that five death row inmates were put to death in the U.S. within one week. The 1600th execution since the death penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976.
Littlejohn, who was 20 at the time of the crime, was accused of robbing a convenience store with a co-defendant, resulting in the death of the store owner. Prosecutors argued that he was the shooter, although he maintained his innocence during his last-minute legal challenges. Littlejohn’s attorneys argued that the case would not have resulted in a death sentence if tried in present times, and criticized the zeal of former Oklahoma County District Attorney Bob Macy, who secured 54 death sentences during his tenure.
Despite a 3-2 recommendation from the Pardon and Parole Board to commute Littlejohn’s sentence, Stitt chose not to intervene, marking only the second time he has granted clemency during his time in office. The case has sparked debate about the use of the death penalty and the potential for reevaluation of past cases.
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