Trending Now - Elderly Inmate's Death Sentence Commuted in 1991 Murder Case
WHO:
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
Charles “Sonny” Burton, 75-year-old inmate
Doug Battle, murder victim
Derrick DeBruce, shooter and co-defendant
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall
Tori, daughter of Doug Battle
Elizabeth Vartkessian, executive director of nonprofit Advancing Real Change
Matt Schulz, Burton’s lawyer
Imam Aswan Abdul-Addarr, Burton’s spiritual adviser
Charles Burton Jr., Burton’s son
Priscilla Townsend, juror in Burton’s case
James Cottingim, juror in Burton’s case
WHAT:
Governor Kay Ivey commuted Charles “Sonny” Burton’s death sentence to life in prison without possibility of parole on March 10th, 2026, marking just the second time she has granted clemency since taking office in 2017.
Burton was scheduled to be executed on March 12th, 2026, by nitrogen gas.
Ivey stated, “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.”
Burton expressed remorse, stating, "I'm so sorry. If I had the power to bring him back, I would. I'm so sorry."
Governor Kay Ivey commuted Charles Burton’s death sentence to life in prison without possibility of parole.
Burton was sentenced to death for the murder of Doug Battle during a robbery in 1991.
Burton was not present in the building when the fatal shot was fired.
DeBruce’s death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in 2014.
Burton has been on death row for over 30 years.
Six of the eight living jurors support commutation of Burton’s sentence.
Less than half of one percent of people facing the death penalty have been granted clemency in Alabama.
WHERE:
Montgomery, Alabama
Talladega, Alabama, location of the robbery
WHEN:
Burton was sentenced to death in 1992.
The robbery occurred in August 1991.
Burton was scheduled for execution on March 12th, 2026.
WHY:
Tori, Doug Battle’s daughter, questioned the legality of executing Burton, asking, “how does it legally make sense” to execute him.
Governor Ivey stated it would be unjust for one participant in the crime to be executed while the participant who pulled the trigger was not.
Tori, Doug Battle’s daughter, expressed that the execution would not contribute to her healing.
HOW:
Multiple jurors from Burton’s 1992 trial urged clemency, with juror Priscilla Townsend stating, “I no longer believe it was true” regarding the portrayal of Burton as the "ring leader."
Burton’s clemency petition argues that he should not have been found guilty of capital murder as he did not intend to kill anyone.
The state argued that felony murder can be charged when a death occurs during another major crime, such as robbery, regardless of intent.
(UPDATED March 10, 2026 19:19 UTC)
In a significant decision today, Governor Kay Ivey commuted Charles “Sonny” Burton’s death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole, just two days before his scheduled execution by nitrogen gas. Ivey expressed her concerns about the fairness of executing Burton, noting that it would be unjust for him to face the death penalty while another participant in the crime did not, and Burton himself expressed deep remorse for his actions. Additionally, multiple jurors from Burton’s 1992 trial have come forward to advocate for clemency, with one juror stating she no longer believes he was the "ring leader" of the crime.
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(UPDATED March 10, 2026 17:19 UTC)
In a significant development, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has commuted Charles Burton’s death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole, stating it would be unjust for one participant in a crime to face execution while the shooter received a lesser sentence. Burton, who has been on death row for over 30 years for the murder of Doug Battle during a robbery in 1991, was not present when the fatal shot was fired, and six of the eight living jurors support the commutation of his sentence. With Burton's execution scheduled for March 12, 2026, his daughter Tori expressed that such an act would not aid in her healing process.