Kay Ivey issues her first ever commutation for an Alabama death row inmate

Alabama GOP Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday issued her first commutation of a death row inmate, stating there was not enough evidence for her to support his execution, or enough evidence to free him.

Robin "Rocky" Myers was given the death penalty by a state judge for the 1991 murder of Ludie Mae Tucker. Myers, an intellectually disabled man, was convicted by a jury, but they recommended a life sentence instead of execution.

Prosecutors had alleged that Myers went to a home in Decatur, Alabama, where he stabbed two people, including Tucker and then left with a VHS machine that was traded for cocaine, per NBC News. Myers claimed he had found the machine, but police did not believe him. 

He was never identified by Tucker or the other victim, and no murder weapon was found, according to Ivey. No fingerprint evidence was linked to Myers, and no DNA evidence or other physical evidence tied him to the scene either.

"I am not convinced that Mr. Myers is innocent, but I am not so convinced of his guilt as to approve of his execution," the governor said in a statement. "This decision has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make as governor."

Ivey, who has presided over 22 executions since taking office, is a major supporter of a capital punishment for serious crimes. But she claimed that in Myers' case, it was a rare exception.

Myers is now sentenced to life in prison without parole, fulfilling the jury's recommendation. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.