Alabama Governor Commutes Death Sentence of Accomplice Convicted in Shooting Death

Gov. Kay Ivey’s commutation means life in prison for the 75-year-old inmate, who had already chosen his final meal before execution.

People gather outside the Alabama Governor's Mansion in Montgomery on Feb. 16, 2026, to urge Gov. Kay Ivey to grant clemency to Sonny Burton, who was scheduled to be executed on March 12. Kim Chandler/AP Photo

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on March 10 commuted the death sentence of a 75-year-old inmate scheduled to be executed this week, citing the fact that he was outside the building when the victim died in a 1991 robbery.

Ivey changed Charles “Sonny” Burton’s punishment to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The move marks the second time that the Republican governor has granted clemency to a death row inmate since assuming office in 2017.