life4sonnyb: Today we marched to deliver over 60,000 signatures of Sonny's clemency petition to the Governors mansion. We made sure everyone around the world came with one voice: SAVE SONNY!
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]
Contact Governor Kay Ivey via Email
The Governor has the sole power to commute Sonny’s sentence to Life Without Parole.
Online Contact Form: contact.governor.alabama.gov
Select "Executions" or "Pardons & Paroles"
Subject: Urgent: Clemency Request for Charles "Sonny" Burton
Dear Governor Ivey,
I am writing to respectfully urge you to grant clemency to Charles "Sonny" Burton and commute his death sentence to Life Without Parole.
Sonny has spent 33 years on death row despite the fact that he was not the shooter in the 1991 incident. The actual shooter, Derrick DeBruce, was resentenced to Life years ago. The State itself has acknowledged that the disparity between their sentences is arguably unjust.
Today, Sonny’s health is severely compromised. He is a wheelchair user and a fall risk who lives in daily pain. Granting him clemency is not a request for his release, but a request for fairness and mercy. Please bring this long-standing injustice to an end.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Address/City]
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
Find your representative’s contact information here.
janainaart
areudirty
origamiaround
gummygunk
prguitarman
germansingergirl
blakekathryn
snowghoul
jacobvanloon
theartofmadeline
