Editor’s note: Emmanuel Littlejohn died by lethal injection at 10:17 a.m. on Sept. 26 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement that “as a law and order governor,” he did not want to overturn the previous decision of a jury to find Littlejohn guilty and sentence him to death.
Emmanuel Littlejohn is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection this morning in Oklahoma, the fourth of five executions that were planned in the U.S. over the last seven days.
Okla. Gov. Kevin Stitt’s office said yesterday that Stitt was still deliberating about Littlejohn’s request for clemency. In an emailed statement a spokesperson said the governor “continues to prayerfully and carefully consider the facts, evidence, and recommendations.”
During his last conversation with the press before his scheduled execution, Littlejohn told NPR on Wednesday what he would say to Gov. Stitt.
“I’m scared,” he would tell him. “I have never been so scared in my life. To have somebody have your life in their hands and you can’t do nothing about it, it messes with a person. It messes with them and you are going to take it up to the last second, but I will respect your decision either way.“
Littlejohn is one of two men convicted for shooting Kenneth Meers during a robbery in Oklahoma City in 1992. He has maintained that he was not the one who shot Meers.
“I didn’t kill Mr. Meers, but I was there,” he said. “So why am I to be put to death for not killing nobody but just being there?”
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency for Littlejohn on Aug. 7, despite objections from some family members of the victim.
“We struggle to move on, especially myself,” said Bill Meers, Kenneth’s brother. “The anger, it's unbelievable.”
Asked about the victim’s family on Tuesday, Littlejohn said he has apologized to them for his involvement in the crime.
“I feel their hurting and pain, every day over the last 30 years. He has not left my mind. And I don't think he should, cause I still pray for his family and I'm sorry,” he said. “I'm sorry that this had to happen, but I didn’t kill your son.”
Littlejohn said when he woke up Wednesday morning, correctional officers at the prison asked him if he wanted any food.
“Can you imagine eating on a day like this?” he said. “I said ‘naw, I’m good.’ ”
Officers then came around with a tape measure to measure his calves and his arms, Littlejohn said.
“They wanted to check my veins to see if they’re visible, to see if they got a good line to kill me with, I guess,” he said.
Jeff Hood, Littlejohn’s spiritual advisor, is holding out hope that the governor will stop the execution and allow Littlejohn to serve the rest of his life in prison.
“Littlejohn is in a wheelchair, he is never going to be able to hurt anyone again under any circumstances,” Hood said. “There is no reason to kill this man.”
Littlejohn hasn’t lost hope yet, either.
“Governor, don’t kill me for the heck of it,” he said. “I want to live and I don’t believe I deserve to die for this.”
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