Act Now to Save
Sonny Burton’s Life
Charles “Sonny” Burton is facing execution in Alabama for a shooting he did not commit, even as the State agreed to resentence the shooter to life without parole.
The decision to commute his sentence now rests with Governor Kay Ivey, and your voice matters.
Sonny did not take a life, and executing him will not bring healing or justice. Six of the eight living jurors and the victim’s own daughter are asking the Governor to correct this unjust outcome. This is a moment where compassion and conscience must guide the outcome. Please help us speak up for mercy. The best place to start? Add your signature to the thousands asking for mercy by signing Sonny’s clemency letter, delivered directly to the Governor’s office. It takes less than a minute to make a big impact!
Want to do more? We need you! Scroll this page to see how you can send a personal note to your representative(s), call your elected officials, and share Sonny’s story on social media (remember to tag Governor Ivey - her social media handles can be found below. Jump straight to our Action Toolkit to find everything in one place and access our templates.
Sign the Letter: Every Signature Counts!
If you haven’t yet, please take a moment to sign and/or share this urgent action petition for Sonny.
It takes less than one minute and your signature could make the difference.
Join 10,200+ people from around the world in directly asking Governor Kay Ivey to show mercy to Sonny Burton, and commute his death sentence to life in prison, as the State of Alabama already did for the shooter. Every signature counts. Select the link below based on where you live.
Your personal information will never be shared. Every signed letter is delivered directly to decision-makers.
Send a personal note to your representative(s).
If you live in Alabama, we need you! Contact your representatives and ask them to urge the Governor to do the right thing and grant Charles Burton clemency. You can find each of your representative’s contact information here. Here’s a sample email for you to copy & paste, or to help you get started.
Subject: Urge Governor Ivey to Grant Charles “Sonny” Burton Clemency
Dear Representative [Last Name],
I’m writing as a concerned Alabama resident who believes in justice, mercy, and the constitutional principles we share.
Charles “Sonny” Burton faces execution for a killing he did not commit. Mr. Burton did not shoot Douglas Battle, order the shooting, nor evenwitness it. The decision to take Mr. Battle’s life was made independently by the triggerman, Derrick DeBruce.
Yet the State agreed to have Mr. DeBruce’s death sentence later reduced to life without parole, allowing him to live out his final days in prison. Mr. Burton, who neither pulled the trigger nor intended for anyone to be killed, remains under a sentence of death. That disparity should give us pause.
The death penalty was never intended for individuals who lacked intent to kill and did not commit the act itself. Executing Mr. Burton under these circumstances raises serious questions about proportionality, fairness, and the consistent application of justice protected by the Eighth Amendment.
This is not about minimizing the pain of a terrible crime, but about ensuring punishment is just, measured, and aligned with both the facts and our shared values.
I respectfully urge you to ask Governor Ivey to closely review Mr. Burton’s case and consider granting clemency by commuting his sentence to life without parole. This moment calls for moral clarity and principled leadership.
Thank you for your time and service to our state.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City, ZIP]
Make a Phone Call in Support of Mr. Burton.
Make a call to the Governor or to your representatives and let them know you want them to take action on behalf of Mr. Burton. Here’s a script to help you get started.
Sample Phone Script
“Hello, my name is ______________ and I live in ______________. I’m calling to ask Governor Ivey to grant clemency for Mr. Charles Burton. As Alabamians we must demand better of our judicial system, and we must do our best to right our previous wrongs. Executing a man who did not kill anyone, while the triggerman’s sentence was commuted to life without parole, is unjust and I believe it goes against the will of the people of Alabama. I respectfully urge you to ask Governor Ivey to closely review Mr. Burton’s case and consider granting clemency by commuting his sentence to life without parole. Thank you for your time and service to our state.”
Contact Information:
Governor Kay Ivey’s Office: (334) 242- 7100
Action Toolkit
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Sign the Petition for Clemency
Sonny has exhausted all his appeals and could receive an execution date at any moment-time is running out. By signing this petition, you're standing up for fairness and justice. Your signature can help persuade Governor Ivey to grant Sonny clemency, allowing him to serve a sentence equal to that of the actual triggerman: Life Without the Possibility of Parole. Please act now! Your signature could help save Sonny's life.
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Contact Governor Kay Ivey
The Governor has the sole power to commute Sonny’s sentence to Life Without Parole. We’ve included a phone script and sample email in our Communication Templates.
Phone: (334) 242-7100
Online Contact Form: contact.governor.alabama.gov
Select "Executions" or "Pardons & Paroles"
Mailing Address: Office of the Governor 600 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, AL 36130
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Contact Your Alabama Legislators
State representatives can put pressure on the Governor's office and the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Find Your Representative: Use the State Lookup Tool to find your elected official(s).
What to say: "I am a constituent in your district. I want to bring the death penalty case of Mr. Charles Burton to your attention and ask that you contact Governor Ivey’s office to support a commutation of his sentence to Life Without Parole. He did not kill anyone, and the shooter did not face the death penalty. It is only right that Mr. Burton’s sentence be reduced as well."
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Join Team Sonny
Join a growing army of activists, community organizers, and people just like you who want to make a difference in the life of Sonny Burton and his family. Complete this form to be added to Sonny’s team and be among the first to receive our calls-to-action as we pursue clemency for Mr. Burton, as well as updates on the status of our campaigns, and prompts to amplify our message through social media campaigns and other online and in-person events.
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Adopt Sonny's Case
Calling all faith-based organizations & advocacy groups: Sonny is very strong in his faith. Your religious group can support Sonny by adopting his case and including him in your prayer chains, mentioning him during services, and writing to him in prison.
Share Sonny’s Story on Social Media
Awareness fuels change. We hope that as you learn about Charles “Sonny” Burton, you’re moved to take action. Real change only happens when people speak up and your voice matters.
Be loud. Tell everyone you know that Sonny Burton should not be executed for a shooting he did not commit. He did not kill, order, or intend for anyone to be killed. The man who pulled the trigger was spared execution. Sonny was not—a result even the State itself has admitted is “arguably unjust.”
Justice requires accountability, but also mercy when punishment does not fit the facts. Help build a groundswell of support for clemency for Sonny Burton by sharing the posts below on your platform of choice.
Remember to tag Governor Ivey: Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) on X, Governor Kay Ivey (@governorkayivey) on Instagram, Governor Kay Ivey (@KayIveyAL) on Facebook
Consider sharing these posts on your favorite social media platform(s).
In 1992, Charles “Sonny” Burton was sentenced to death for a shooting he did not commit. He did not pull the trigger, did not order anyone to shoot, and did not even witness it happen. The triggerman acted alone. The State later agreed to resentence the shooter to life without parole. Yet Sonny remains on death row. This injustice demands action. Governor Ivey must step in and grant clemency.
Email Governor Ivey #ClemencyForSonnyBurton #Justice #Alabama #DeathPenalty
Charles “Sonny” Burton faces execution despite never pulling the trigger and never intending for anyone to be killed. The man who committed the killing was spared execution. Sonny was not. That disparity should give us pause and demand mercy. Urge Governor Ivey to commute Sonny Burton’s sentence to life without parole.
Email Governor Ivey #Mercy #JusticeNotExecution #EndTheDeathPenalty
Governor Kay Ivey can still stop the execution of Charles “Sonny” Burton.
Sonny did not kill.
Sonny did not intend to kill.
Sonny did not order the killing.
Yet he remains condemned while the triggerman was allowed to live. This is a moment for moral clarity and leadership. Speak up. Demand clemency.
Email Governor Ivey #ClemencyNow #JusticeForSonny #AlabamaLeadership