Thank You, Governor Ivey

The fight for Sonny Burton's life was carried by thousands of people who signed petitions, wrote letters, prayed, and believed change was possible. Now that Governor Ivey has commuted Sonny's sentence, we're asking you to do one more thing: say thank you.

To send your thanks to the governor, copy and paste the letter below into the form that pops up when you select the “Send Thank You Email” button below. This is the contact form that the Governor’s office uses and currently the best way to get an email to her. Don’t forget to sign your name to the bottom before you hit send.

Want to send a card or letter through the mail? Post your thanks to Governor Ivey:

Governor Kay Ivey
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130

Dear Governor Ivey,

I’m writing to express my sincere gratitude for your decision to commute the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life imprisonment without parole.

Your action required careful consideration and moral courage. By granting clemency in this case, you recognized the importance of proportional justice and demonstrated that mercy remains an essential part of our system of law. Your decision reflects the principle that when serious questions exist about fairness or proportionality, the justice system must proceed with wisdom, restraint, and humanity.

For many of us who signed petitions, wrote letters, prayed, and spoke out, this moment represents a profound relief. We believed that executing Mr. Burton, particularly given that he did not fire a weapon at all and that the person who did received a lesser sentence, would have raised serious concerns about justice and fairness. Your decision acknowledged those concerns and ensured that an irreversible punishment will not be carried out in this case. 

I am especially grateful that you chose to extend mercy at a moment when the outcome could no longer be changed. Clemency exists precisely for such circumstances; when the law alone cannot fully account for compassion, fairness, and conscience.

Your decision has brought immense relief to Mr. Burton’s family and to the many faith leaders, advocates, jurors, and community members who hoped for this outcome. It also serves as a reminder that leadership sometimes means pausing to reflect on the deeper values of justice, mercy, and human dignity.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and for exercising the power of clemency with care and humanity.

Respectfully,

[Name / Organization / Petition Signer]