Thu Sep 26 15:04:50 UTC 2024: ## Oklahoma Governor Faces Pressure to Commute Sentence of Death Row Inmate Despite Parole Board Recommendation

**Oklahoma City, OK** – The fate of Emmanuel Littlejohn, a death row inmate scheduled for execution on Thursday, hangs in the balance as Governor Kevin Stitt faces pressure to commute his sentence. Despite a 3-2 vote by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board in August to recommend clemency for Littlejohn, the final decision rests with the governor.

Littlejohn was convicted in 1994 for his role in the 1992 shooting death of convenience store owner Kenneth Meers during a robbery. While admitting to his involvement in the robbery, Littlejohn maintains that his accomplice, Glenn Bethany, fired the fatal shot. Bethany was sentenced to life without parole.

Littlejohn’s legal team has argued for leniency, citing inconsistencies in the prosecution, Littlejohn’s underdeveloped brain at the time of the crime, and his traumatic childhood. They have also highlighted Littlejohn’s positive transformation while incarcerated, portraying him as a reformed individual.

However, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond maintains that Littlejohn is a “violent and manipulative killer,” a stance supported by the victim’s family.

Governor Stitt has indicated he has met with both sides of the case, including the victim’s family, and is carefully considering all factors before making his decision.

Littlejohn’s sister, Augustina Sanders, has urged the governor to grant clemency, proclaiming her brother’s innocence and his positive changes since incarceration. “I’m not giving up,” she said. “Just spare my brother’s life. He’s not the person they made him out to be.”

This case echoes the 2021 commutation of Julius Jones’ sentence by Governor Stitt, just hours before Jones was scheduled to be executed. However, the current case has drawn significant attention and public debate, highlighting the complexities of capital punishment and the weight of the governor’s decision.

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