MONTGOMERY, AL — Governor Kay Ivey announced Friday that she has commuted the death sentence of Robin D. “Rocky” Myers to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Myers was convicted of the 1991 capital murder of Ludie Mae Tucker in Decatur, Alabama.
Governor Ivey’s decision marks a rare intervention in Alabama’s death penalty process. As required by law, she first informed a representative of Ms. Tucker’s family before notifying the attorney general. In a letter to Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm, she formally communicated her decision.
In a statement, Governor Ivey reaffirmed her general support for the death penalty but cited uncertainties in Myers’ case that led to her decision. She noted the lack of physical evidence linking Myers to the crime, as well as conflicting witness accounts.
“I am not convinced that Mr. Myers is innocent, but I am not so convinced of his guilt as to approve of his execution,” Governor Ivey stated. “I therefore must respect both the jury’s decision to convict him and its recommendation that he be sentenced to life without parole.”
She acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but emphasized that it does not change her stance on capital punishment. “Thus far as governor, I have presided over 22 executions, and I will never waver in my belief that the death penalty is just punishment for society’s most serious crimes,” she said.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall criticized the governor’s decision, expressing frustration over what he described as a lack of communication before the announcement.
“I am astonished by Governor Ivey’s decision to commute the death sentence of Rocky Myers and am bewildered that she chose not to directly communicate with me about this case or her decision,” Marshall stated. He emphasized that his office had spent three decades defending Myers’ conviction through the legal system and that no court had ruled in favor of the doubts the governor cited.
Marshall concluded his response by reaffirming his commitment to the victim’s family. “My capital litigation and victims’ services teams will go home tonight deeply saddened, not for themselves, but for the family of Ludie Mae Tucker. We will never stop fighting for justice.”
Governor Ivey acknowledged the pain endured by Tucker’s family and expressed hope that they may find closure. “This decision has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make as governor. But it pales in comparison to the pain and suffering Ludie Mae Tucker and Marie Dutton endured on the night of October 4, 1991 – and to the many hardships the Tucker family has endured at the hands of our imperfect justice system,” she said.
With the commutation, Myers will serve the remainder of his life in prison, bringing an end to the decades-long legal battle surrounding his case.
