Words from Oklahoma’s Death Row: Emmanuel Littlejohn on the Richard Glossip Moment

Late last night, I got this message from Emmanuel Littlejohn. He is one of the guys in Oklahoma that I work most closely with. The background of this message is that Littlejohn was part of a robbery where a convenience store clerk was killed (in fact, his accomplice fired the shot without his knowledge). Although he didn’t kill anyone, he was convicted under a type of law known as “the law of parties.” Meaning that anyone who participates in a crime that kills someone is eligible for the death penalty. Littlejohn’s message below (printed entirely with a few explanatory additions) speaks of his frustration at the current attention that Richard Glossip’s case is getting…not because Glossip doesn’t deserve it (Littlejohn thinks that Glossip is unquestionably innocent of murder and deserves to be spared)…but rather because there are others who deserve it too.

jeff, what’s up bro? not a lot here just a lot of the same be that is usual for Oklahoma the thought that they would go ahead with a execution of a man who is not the killer! ain’t that a bitch? but anyway I’m writing this below and I won’t you to get it out to the public if you think its correct! convicted and sentenced at conception! As I have languished here in this 4-walled concrete tomb of solitude and desolation called death row. I have come to truly embrace and come to grips with the very real heart- wrenching possibility that I may one day die by a state- endorsed, state endorsed execution. in the name of a so- called justice system, that has never gave a person of color justice of any sort! and as hard as it is for me to accept these facts and comprehend, I have stood steadfast for the last 32 years with my fist clenched, and wiped the last tears from my eyes! but even as I do this, I am forced to confront and answer some harsh soul shattering questions! such as: how did this happen? who’s to blame? and most of all what factors in my life lead to this spot? now as far as who’s to blame? I could blame a society that indicts, convicts, and sentences a black man the charge of being black and being born in America! or I could say that it was the cesspool or the environment that I raised in that caused me to be who I am! so I can place blame here or there, but when it’s all said and done, the person to blame is me! Mr Manuel Lorenzo Ashantee Littlejohn and as a man I will always accept the consequences for MY actions! I have been on death row for 32 years and I have killed no one but the state of Oklahoma says I deserve to die, YET I see TONS of high placed people on TV saying that another guy down here didn’t kill and that he doesn’t deserve to die! I don’t know his case and won’t speak on it, but I’ll say this, how many other men are on death row and have not killed anyone? how many have been killed? it’s not right!! how would you feel if one of your loved ones was to be killed and had not killed anyone? but it’s not fair because it’s not one of your loved ones! wrong is wrong! so if you are reading these words and they have touched you in some way! I plead with you to join me in pleading my case, if you feel the wrongness of this (my case getting no attention and the current high profile case getting all the attention) stand with me, fight with me! Jeff,I won’t you to go over this and add what you won’t to give it more impact! we have to put a stop to this shit that Oklahoma is engaging in, there is no clemency in Oklahoma the system is rigged!! sincerely manuel