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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — <\/span>Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday commuted the death sentence of a 75-year-old inmate who was set to be executed this week, even though he was not in the building when the victim was killed.<\/p>\n Ivey reduced Charles \u201cSonny\u201d Burton\u2019s sentence to life in prison without possibility of parole, marking just the second time the Republican governor has granted clemency of a death row inmate since taking office in 2017.<\/p>\n Burton was sentenced to death<\/a> for the 1991 shooting death of a customer, Doug Battle, during a store robbery. However, another man, Derrick DeBruce, shot Battle after Burton had left the building. DeBruce’s death sentence was later reduced on appeal to life in prison.<\/p>\n Ivey, who has presided over 25 executions, said she firmly believes in the death penalty as “just punishment for society\u2019s most heinous offenders,” but said it also must be administered fairly and proportionately.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot proceed in good conscience with the execution of Mr. Burton under such disparate circumstances. I believe it would be unjust for one participant in this crime to be executed while the participant who pulled the trigger was not,\u201d Ivey said in a statement.<\/p>\n Burton was scheduled to be executed Thursday night by nitrogen gas. <\/p>\n Battle was shot in the back during an Aug. 16, 1991, robbery of an AutoZone auto parts store in Talladega. Court testimony indicated that DeBruce shot Battle after Burton and other robbers had left the store. Battle had entered the store as the robbery was winding down and exchanged words with DeBruce.<\/p>\n