Charles ‘Sonny’ Burton is slated for execution. He hopes the Alabama governor will grant him clemency Charles Burton, a 75-year-old man with a wheelchair, is set to face execution this week for a 1991 murder he did not commit. Despite his role in a robbery that led to the death of Douglas Battle, Burton has spent three decades on death row. His case has sparked calls for clemency, with his family, jurors, and advocates arguing that his sentence is unjust. Burton, known as “Sonny” to loved ones, was convicted of capital felony murder in 1992 for his involvement in the robbery of an AutoZone store in Talladega, Alabama. While he was not the shooter, he was found guilty of participating in the crime that resulted in Battle’s death. During the 1991 robbery, Derrick DeBruce, one of the accomplices, shot and killed Battle. Burton’s attorneys argue that his punishment is disproportionate, as DeBruce later received a life sentence after his appeals succeeded. Burton’s clemency petition highlights his deteriorating health, including rheumatoid arthritis, a recent stroke, and a diagnosis of delusional disorder. His family and legal team have urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to commute his sentence to life without parole, citing his age, medical condition, and the lack of evidence linking him to the fatal shooting. Ivey’s spokesperson stated the governor has no plans to grant clemency, emphasizing that Burton’s conviction has been reviewed multiple times and upheld at every legal level. The victim’s daughter, Tori, and several jurors in Burton’s case have supported his request for mercy. Tori wrote to Ivey that her father “valued peace” and did not believe in revenge, arguing that his execution would not aid her healing. She expressed concern that Burton, now elderly, would face death without the benefit of a fair legal process.#charles_burton #kay_ivey #talladega_alabama #derrick_debruce #tori
