Alabama prepares to execute a 75-year-old wheelchair-bound man who never pulled the trigger in a 1991 killing, even as the victim’s own daughter pleads for mercy and the actual shooter has already been resentenced.
Story Snapshot
- Charles “Sonny” Burton faces execution despite being an accomplice who did not fire the fatal shot in a 1991 robbery-murder
- The victim’s daughter publicly urges Governor Kay Ivey to grant clemency, citing Burton’s reduced role and deteriorating health
- Oklahoma recently granted clemency to a non-shooter in a similar case, setting a precedent that advocates say Alabama should follow
- Burton’s execution would make him one of the oldest inmates executed in modern history, raising questions about justice and proportionality
Victim’s Family Breaks With Typical Death Penalty Pattern
Charles “Sonny” Burton sits on Alabama’s death row for a 1991 robbery-murder, despite never firing the weapon that killed the victim. The 75-year-old wheelchair-bound inmate now faces an imminent execution date while the actual shooter received a reduced sentence years ago.
In a rare break from typical capital cases, the victim’s daughter has publicly called on Governor Kay Ivey to commute Burton’s sentence, emphasizing his secondary role in the crime and his advanced age and chronic health conditions that make execution particularly troubling.
Charles “Sonny” Burton didn’t kill anyone. The state of Alabama could execute him anyway. https://t.co/a6QKXJohXf
— WTVA 9 News (@wtva9news) February 3, 2026
National Momentum Shifts Against Non-Shooter Executions
The push for Burton’s clemency comes amid growing national opposition to executing accomplices who did not directly cause death. Oklahoma recently granted clemency to Tremane Wood in a strikingly similar case involving a non-shooter, establishing a precedent that advocates argue Alabama should follow.
Death penalty experts increasingly view such executions as violating “evolving standards of decency,” a legal principle that recognizes society’s changing views on proportionate punishment. This shift represents common sense justice—holding people accountable for their actions without imposing the ultimate penalty on those who didn’t commit the ultimate act.
Governor Ivey’s Clemency Record Under Scrutiny
Governor Kay Ivey holds sole clemency authority in Alabama, a power she exercised in February 2024 when she commuted Robin “Rocky” Myers’ death sentence—the first such commutation in Alabama this century. That decision came after more than 800,000 petition signatures and significant doubts about Myers’ guilt, demonstrating Ivey’s willingness to act despite opposition from Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Burton’s case now tests whether Ivey will extend similar mercy to another questionable execution, particularly given the victim’s family support and Burton’s non-shooter status that makes his death sentence disproportionate to his actual culpability.
Health Concerns and Age Raise Execution Questions
Burton’s wheelchair-bound condition and chronic illnesses present practical and moral complications for his scheduled execution. Medical experts have warned about potential complications in executing someone with severe health issues, raising questions about whether such a procedure constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
At 75 years old, Burton would rank among the oldest inmates executed in modern American history if the state proceeds. Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman expressed regret in 2025 about failing to commute similar cases during his tenure, warning about bias and secrecy in clemency decisions that undermine public trust in the justice system.
Alabama Death Penalty System Faces Reform Pressure
Alabama’s aggressive capital punishment system historically allowed judicial override, permitting judges to impose death sentences even when juries recommended life imprisonment—a practice that ended in 2017 but left dozens of inmates in legal limbo. Legislation introduced in 2025 aims to revisit these override cases and potentially abolish the death penalty entirely, with a public vote scheduled for 2028.
Burton’s case amplifies these reform efforts by highlighting the system’s willingness to execute peripheral participants while sparing actual killers. This represents government overreach at its worst—using maximum state power against someone whose culpability doesn’t match the punishment.
The clemency decision rests entirely with Governor Ivey, who faces mounting pressure from advocates pointing to Oklahoma’s recent mercy in a parallel case. The outcome will signal whether Alabama continues down a path of questionable executions or follows emerging national standards that reserve capital punishment for those who actually take lives.
With the victim’s family seeking mercy rather than vengeance, Burton’s case presents a clear opportunity for justice tempered with wisdom—recognizing that accountability doesn’t always require the executioner’s chamber.
Sources:
Alabama bills aim to revisit death penalty cases, propose abolition
How Alabama’s First Commuted Death Sentence This Century Came About
Alabama Death Penalty Advocacy
2025 Was Not a Good Year for Clemency in Capital Cases
