Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life imprisonment in response to growing public opposition to his impending execution scheduled for Thursday.
In 1992, a jury found Burton guilty of felony capital murder for the death of AutoZone customer Doug Battle, which occurred during a robbery at an AutoZone store in Talladega in 1991.
Although Burton participated in the robbery, he did not kill Battle and was not present in the store at the time of the murder. Derrick DeBruce, who was responsible for shooting and killing Battle, was also sentenced to death but later had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment. DeBruce passed away in 2020.
Alabama Governor says can’t proceed with Burton’s execution
In a news release, Ivey stated that while she strongly supports the death penalty, she cannot proceed with Burton’s execution due to the “disparate circumstances” surrounding his case.
“I cannot proceed in good conscience with the execution of Mr. Burton under such disparate circumstances. I believe it would be unjust for one participant in this crime to be executed while the participant who pulled the trigger was not,” Ivey stated in a press release.
Burton’s legal representatives submitted a clemency petition to Ivey, requesting a commutation of his sentence, as per News From The States. They argued that Burton should not face the death penalty, as he had no intention of killing Battle.
In recent weeks, Burton’s supporters organized multiple rallies aimed at drawing public attention to intensify pressure on the governor to approve his clemency application.
Alabama Attorney blasts Burton
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall expressed his profound disappointment regarding the commutation in a statement released on Tuesday, labeling Burton as a murderer.
“Burton does not deserve special treatment because he is old—he could have been executed a long time ago, but like many death-row inmates, he chose to drag out his case through endless frivolous appeals,” Marshall stated, reported News From The States. “I firmly believe that he should have faced the punishment imposed by a jury of his peers and upheld by numerous judges.”
Burton and family seek clemency
Burton conveyed his regret regarding his involvement in the robbery and implored Ivey to consider granting him clemency, asserting that he had no intention for Battle to lose his life.
Battle’s daughter, Tori Battle, likewise appealed to Ivey to prevent Burton from facing execution.
