About Sonny
A Childhood Defined by Hardship
Sonny’s story begins with a resilience born of necessity. At a young age, Sonny was sent to live with his father, a transition that would introduce him to a cycle of severe physical abuse. Court records and family testimony paint a harrowing picture of his upbringing; his stepfather recounted witnessing Sonny being brutally beaten for something as simple as calling his father "Dad." Despite the heartbreak of his early years, Sonny maintained a deep connection to his family, who have stood by him for decades, remembering him not for his mistakes, but for his character.
The Weight of Loss
Life's hardships did not end when Sonny entered the system. While incarcerated, Sonny suffered an unimaginable personal tragedy: his wife was brutally murdered. In a painful irony of the legal system, the individual responsible for her death has since been paroled and returned to society. Sonny, meanwhile, remains on death row for a crime in which he was not the shooter, carrying the weight of his own grief while facing a sentence far harsher than those who committed more violent acts.
A Transformation Through Faith
In 1972, Sonny began a spiritual journey that would define the rest of his life. He converted to Islam and has remained a devout, practicing Muslim for over 50 years. His faith is not merely a private comfort; it is the lens through which he views the world.
Throughout his time in the Alabama Department of Corrections, Sonny has become a man of peace and mentorship. He is committed to guiding those he connects with, using his own lived experience to help younger men stay off the path he once walked. His advocacy for religious equality, including his fight to have an Imam present for spiritual comfort, has made him a voice for human dignity within the prison walls.
“Charles Burton never killed anyone, nor did he arrange for anyone to die – a fact that even the state acknowledges.”
Sonny Today: A Call for Mercy
Now 74 years old, Sonny is a different man than the one who entered the system decades ago. He is a father, a brother, and a friend whose family desperately wants him home. His health is rapidly deteriorating; he is now a wheelchair-bound "fall risk" suffering from chronic physical pain.
The State of Alabama has previously acknowledged that the disparity in his sentence, where Sonny faces death while the actual shooter was granted life, is "arguably unjust."
For Sonny’s family and supporters, the goal is clear. While many hope for his eventual release, the immediate and most vital step is Clemency. We are asking the Governor to recognize a lifetime of transformation and grant Sonny the mercy he has earned through fifty years of faith and rehabilitation.
“If life in prison is considered justice for the shooter, it should be enough for my brother.”
“He is not the ‘worst of the worst,’ and nothing about his case merits a punishment harsher than the one given to the person who committed the killing.”