We are heartened to share that this morning, March 10, 2026, Governor Kay Ivey commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life without parole. This decision halts his scheduled execution and represents a significant victory for justice and mercy in Alabama.

We celebrate those who tirelessly advocated for Sonny, calling for the Governor to address the glaring disparities in his case. Sonny was not the shooter, yet he remained on death row while the triggerman’s sentence had already been reduced to life. This act of clemency was championed by a broad coalition, including the victim’s daughter and six original jurors.

Next Steps for Our Fellowship:

Sunday Silence: We will hold a dedicated moment of silence and reflection during this Sunday’s service to honor the memory of Doug Battle who was murdered by Derrick DeBruce and to recognize the gravity of Sonny Burton’s reprieve.

Expression of Gratitude: For those moved to do so, we will have a communal letter of thanks to Governor Ivey for choosing mercy and correcting this legal disparity to sign in the back of the sanctuary.

Ongoing Advocacy: Our Social Action Chair will host a table during Coffee Hour this Sunday 11:00 AM to discuss how we can continue to support death penalty reform and restorative justice initiatives in Alabama.

From this article on nbcnew.com:
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life without parole, saying his execution, which was set for Thursday, would be “unjust.”

In 1991, Burton was one of six men involved in the robbery of an AutoZone store in Talladega that ended with the murder of a customer, Doug Battle; Burton did not pull the trigger in the killing.

“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,” Ivey said in a statement.

“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,” she said.