Alabama Governor Spares Death Row Inmate Who Didn't Pull the Trigger

Charles Burton was sentenced to death for a 1991 robbery that ended in a customer's death, even though he did not fire the fatal shot.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Charles Burton, a 75-year-old man on Alabama's death row, had his sentence commuted to life in prison without parole by Governor Kay Ivey. Burton was convicted of murder in a 1991 robbery that resulted in a customer's death, even though he did not pull the trigger. The actual gunman, Derrick DeBruce, had his death sentence reduced to life in prison, prompting an outcry to spare Burton's life as well.

Why it matters

The case highlights the controversial felony murder rule, which allows accomplices to a felony that ends in a death to be charged with murder, even if they did not directly cause the death. Critics argue this leads to over-prosecution, while supporters say it deters crime. Governor Ivey's decision to commute Burton's sentence is seen as a rare move that recognizes the disparities in sentencing for co-defendants in felony murder cases.

The details

In the summer of 1991, Charles Burton was one of five accomplices in a robbery at an AutoZone store in Talladega, Alabama. During the robbery, one of Burton's co-defendants, Derrick DeBruce, fatally shot a customer named Doug Battle. Prosecutors agreed that Burton did not pull the trigger, but under Alabama's felony murder law, he was still convicted of murder and sentenced to death, while DeBruce received a life sentence. After decades on death row, Burton's sentence was commuted by Governor Kay Ivey just two days before his scheduled execution.

  • In the summer of 1991, the robbery and shooting occurred.
  • In 1992, Charles Burton was sentenced to death for the murder.
  • In 2014, Derrick DeBruce's death sentence was reduced to life in prison.
  • In 2020, Derrick DeBruce died in prison.
  • On March 11, 2026, Governor Kay Ivey commuted Charles Burton's death sentence to life in prison without parole.

The players

Charles Burton

A 75-year-old man who was sentenced to death for a 1991 robbery that resulted in a customer's death, even though he did not pull the trigger.

Derrick DeBruce

One of Charles Burton's co-defendants in the 1991 robbery, who was the actual gunman that fatally shot the customer. DeBruce's death sentence was later reduced to life in prison.

Governor Kay Ivey

The Republican governor of Alabama who commuted Charles Burton's death sentence to life in prison without parole, citing the disparate sentences between Burton and the actual triggerman, DeBruce.

Tori Battle

The daughter of the customer, Doug Battle, who was killed during the 1991 robbery. She wrote an op-ed asking the state not to execute Charles Burton.

Doug Battle

The customer who was fatally shot during the 1991 robbery in Talladega, Alabama.

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What’s next

It is unclear if the state will take any further action in Charles Burton's case now that his death sentence has been commuted to life in prison without parole.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate around the felony murder rule and the disparities it can create in sentencing, even for co-defendants who did not directly cause a death. Governor Ivey's decision to spare Burton's life reflects a growing recognition of these issues, though the rule remains in place in most states.