Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey Commutes Death Sentence for Inmate Absent During 1991 Robbery Shooting

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton on Tuesday, reducing his punishment to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot MONTGOMERY, Ala”

Associated Press

Both local and national reports note that Burton, 75, was scheduled to be executed this week and that the commutation is only the second clemency grant of Ivey’s governorship.

Associated Press

The move ended the state’s plan to carry out a decades-old capital sentence tied to a 1991 robbery in which a customer was killed.

The underlying case stems from a 1991 AutoZone store robbery in Talladega during which a customer, Doug Battle, was fatally shot.

Reporting states that Burton had left the store before another man, Derrick DeBruce, fired the fatal shot; prosecutors nonetheless tried Burton as an accomplice and portrayed him as a leader of the robbery.

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The Associated Press notes that both men were convicted of capital murder, but DeBruce’s death sentence was later overturned on appeal.

News accounts emphasize the limited use of clemency by Governor Ivey during her time in office; both outlets highlight that this is only her second commutation or grant of clemency since 2017.

“Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot MONTGOMERY, Ala”

Associated Press

The reporting frames the decision as notable partly because commutations by Ivey have been rare, underscoring the unusual nature of altering a capital sentence at this stage.

Reports note Burton’s age and the immediacy of the execution date that prompted the commutation: he is 75 and was scheduled for execution this week before Ivey’s action.

Coverage does not provide detailed excerpts of Ivey’s explanation in these pieces, instead focusing on the factual change in sentence and the long interval between the original conviction and the scheduled execution.

fox13now

The available articles focus on the commutation and the core facts of the 1991 case but offer limited additional context such as the governor’s rationale, statements from victims’ relatives, or detailed records of the clemency process.

“Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man whose accomplice fired fatal shot MONTGOMERY, Ala”

Associated Press

Because the two reports provided here do not include those elements, those specifics remain unclear from the supplied coverage.

Associated Press