Doug Battle

Charles "Sonny" Burton, also known as Doug Battle (likely an alias or previous name), is an Alabama inmate who was scheduled to be executed on March 12, 2026. He gained recent notoriety when Alabama Governor Kay Ivey commuted his death sentence just two days before the scheduled execution. Burton's case drew significant attention, with protestors gathering to urge Governor Ivey to grant clemency. The commutation was based on the fact that Burton's accomplice fired the fatal shot in the crime for which he was convicted. The governor's decision highlights the complexities of capital punishment and the role of accomplices in capital crimes, making Burton's case a significant point of discussion in the ongoing debate surrounding the death penalty.