Alabama Governor Commutes Death Sentence of Man Who Did Not Kill Anyone Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life without parole, halting his scheduled execution. The governor called the original sentence “unjust,” citing the disparity between Burton’s fate and that of Derrick DeBruce, the man who actually killed Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. Burton was one of six individuals involved in the robbery of an AutoZone store in Talladega. The incident resulted in the murder of 34-year-old Doug Battle, who was shot in the back by DeBruce while shopping. Despite being a key participant in the crime, DeBruce received a life sentence without parole. Burton, who did not pull the trigger, had already left the store before the shooting occurred. In a statement, Ivey emphasized the injustice of executing Burton while DeBruce lived out his sentence. “I cannot proceed in good conscience with the execution of Mr. Burton under such disparate circumstances,” she said. “It would be unjust for one participant in this crime to be executed while the participant who pulled the trigger was not.” The Alabama Attorney General, Steve Marshall, expressed disappointment, stating that Burton “has Douglas Battle’s blood on his hands.” He criticized Burton’s legal team for prolonging the case through “endless frivolous appeals” and argued that the death penalty should have been carried out as the jury and judges intended. Burton admitted to entering the store armed with a gun, stealing cash from a safe, and fleeing to a getaway car. Inside, DeBruce shot Battle, an act the state acknowledged in its response to Burton’s request for a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court.#kay_ivey #derrick_debruce #alabama_governor #charles_sonny_burton #doug_battle
