Rocky, now a 63-year-old man – father of four, grandfather to nine, and great-grandfather to one – has spent more than half his life on death row. Just last month, the state had initiated the process to set his execution date using nitrogen hypoxia.
Here’s the moment Rocky heard the news:
Your impact
We, with so many others, have long advocated for Rocky Myers. As part of Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign in 2023, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world signed a petition asking Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to commute his death sentence. Here in Australia, we handed over more than 30,000 of your signatures.
This week, our message has been heard. Thank you. This significant breakthrough would not have been possible without your support and advocacy.
The case
Rocky, a Black man with an intellectual disability, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in 1994.
A nearly all-white jury found him guilty of the murder of his white neighbour, despite the lack of any forensic evidence directly linking him to the crime. In a practice that is now outlawed in Alabama, the judge overrode the jury’s decision of life in prison and condemned Rocky Myers to death.
Burdened with ineffective legal representation and abandoned by his post-conviction lawyer, Rocky missed key deadlines for judicial appeals. Key testimonies against him were tainted by inconsistencies and allegations of police pressure. One key witness later stated that he had lied.
“As evidence accumulated of his innocence and the many injustices he experienced over the course of his case, I held out hope that he would someday see some measure of justice, of mercy, of humanity. I’m grateful to the many people who went to extraordinary lengths to support this petition.”
Kacey Keeton – Rocky Myers attorney since 2007
Whether you sent letters, made phone calls, signed petitions or donated to support our campaign for Rocky – thank you for demonstrating that people power works.
What’s next?
There is still so much more work to be done. The U.S. criminal justice system is terribly flawed and discriminatory, and Rocky Myers’ case has been emblematic of many of those flaws. This decision by Governor Ivey to commute his death sentence is the first critical step towards justice for him and his family. He has always maintained his innocence we are urging the state to initiate a review.
And while this is a crucial victory, the death penalty continues to be used across the U.S. and the world. It is the ultimate denial of human rights—an irreversible punishment that disproportionately targets marginalised communities, those with intellectual disabilities, and people without access to strong legal defence.
These people urgently need our help. People including Pakhshan Azizi, who has been sentenced to death for peaceful humanitarian efforts, including supporting women and children who were displaced following attacks by the Islamic State armed group. She urgently needs our help in demanding his unconditional release.
