Gov. Kay Ivey grants clemency to Charles “Sonny” Burton, a rare display of mercy.

Mr. Burton was sentenced to death and scheduled to be executed on Thursday, March 12, 2026 for his involvement in the murder of Doug Battle. But on March 10, Governor Kay Ivey took merciful action, prompted by the tireless witness of advocates and dedicated legal professionals, and granted him clemency, commuting his sentence from death to life in prison without the chance of parole.

Clemency refers to the legal process in which the sentence of an individual is either reduced or they are granted a total pardon. Applying for clemency is often one of the last efforts someone facing execution can make to spare their life, even after all appeals have been exhausted. The procedures for granting clemency vary by state. Generally, an application for clemency will first go to a board of pardons and paroles. The board’s decision will then be referred to a governor.

Clemency is not frequently granted in capital cases. This marked only the second act of clemency Gov. Ivey has granted during her time in office.

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, CMN’s executive director, responded to the news saying: “Praise God! Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has commuted the sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton, saving him from the imminent threat of execution. Thank you, Gov. Ivey, for bearing witness to the injustice in Mr. Burton’s case and using your executive authority to take lifesaving action.”

Mr. Burton was one of six individuals involved in the robbery when Mr. Battle was killed. However, only he and one other co-defendant, the man who pulled the trigger, were tried for capital murder. When the sentence of the shooter was ultimately reduced to life in prison, the state acknowledged that retaining Mr. Burton’s death sentence was “an unusual and arguably unjust situation.”

Gov. Ivey stated that this injustice gave cause to commute Mr. Burton’s sentence.

“Doug Battle was brutally murdered by Derrick DeBruce while shopping in an auto parts store. But DeBruce was ultimately sentenced to life without parole. Charles Burton did not shoot the victim, did not direct the triggerman to shoot the victim and had already left the store by the time the shooting occurred. Yet Mr. Burton was set to be executed while DeBruce was allowed to live out his life in prison.

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.”

Vaillancourt Murphy says, “The Catholic Church teaches that all human life is sacred, regardless of innocence or guilt. There is no place for the death penalty in that vision of a consistent ethic of life. Today, I’m grateful that Mr. Burton’s life has been spared. I’m also acutely aware today of the experience of Mr. Battle’s family, who has been caught in the midst of decades of court proceedings, appeals, and a promise of ‘justice’ that perhaps always felt out of reach. Mr. Battle’s daughter, Tori Battle, recently shared these powerful words:

‘As a child, I believed justice meant punishment. I thought executions would bring closure. Over time, I learned that justice cannot be reduced to finality. A system that values procedural rigidity over truth demonstrates to me that it does not revere justice.

My opposition to this execution is not a betrayal of my father. It is an affirmation of the values he lived by, and that I have tried to instill in my children. Justice can be measured by our commitment to truth and our willingness to show mercy.

Executing a man who did not commit the killing does not heal wounds or strengthen public trust. It weakens it.

I lost my father to violence. Another death will not bring him back. It will only deepen my trauma and the moral cost we all share.’

“I pray that our celebration of this commutation will also include our commitment to the continued work that is needed to advance in our society a justice that is aimed at true healing and meaningful repair in the wake of grave harm.”

Mr. Burton is a faithful Muslim, and his commutation was granted as the entire Muslim community observed the holy month of Ramadan — a period of deepening one’s faith through fasting, prayer, charity, and reflection. At the same time, Catholics participated in the season of Lent, a time similarly dedicated to faithful devotion through the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

“It is deeply meaningful to receive this news during this holy time of the year. Thanks be to God!” says Vaillancourt Murphy.