Oklahoma Executes A Man Despite Board Recommending His Life Be Spared
HuffPost
Emmanuel Littlejohn was executed after Gov. Stitt (R) declined to follow the Pardon and Parole Board's clemency recommendation.
McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma executed a man Thursday for his role in the 1992 shooting death of a convenience store owner after the governor rejected a recommendation from the state’s parole board to spare his life.
Emmanuel Littlejohn, 52, received a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and was declared dead at 10:17 a.m. His execution came after Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt declined to commute his sentence to life in prison without parole.
“A jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death,” said Stitt. He added, “As a law and order governor, I have a hard time unilaterally overturning that decision.”
Strapped to a gurney and with an IV line in his right arm, Littlejohn looked toward his mother and daughter, who witnessed the execution.
“Mom, you OK?” Littlejohn asked.