Editorial by: Jeff Devine
*The following is a reflective piece about an Alabama news story. Though the story stirred powerful emotions and thoughts within me, this piece is not intended to offer an opinion about the outcome of this case or any topics raised.
As Alabama prepares to carry out the execution of Geoffrey Todd West, a death row inmate convicted of a 1997 murder, one unexpected voice is asking for mercy — the son of the woman who lost her life.
Will Berry was only 11 when his mother, Margaret Parrish Berry, was shot and killed during a robbery at a rural gas station. For many families, such a tragedy would possibly cement a lifelong call for justice through the harshest possible sentence. But as the execution date nears, Berry has stepped forward to ask that the state not kill in his mother’s name. Instead, he asks that the man convicted of killing his mother spend life in prison.
“I forgive this man, and I don’t want him to die,” Berry has said. His words, simple yet profound, strike at the heart of what justice means. For him, forgiveness is not a denial of pain but a conscious choice to rise above it. For many, this is a difficult task.
Berry has written directly to Governor Kay Ivey, pleading that West’s sentence be changed to life without parole. He has also spoken publicly, explaining that executing West will not heal his family or bring his mother back. Instead, he sees it as a continuation of the same cycle of destruction that claimed her life nearly three decades ago.
West, who was 21 at the time of the crime, has spent more than two decades behind bars and has expressed regret for his actions. He has even stated he wishes he could trade places with the victim. Though the victim’s son has written Governor Ivey and asked that she commute West’s sentence to life in prison, it appears that the state’s execution plans remain on track under Alabama’s capital punishment system. Officials, including Ivey, cite court rulings and the law’s demands, but Berry’s appeal has added a deeply personal layer to the story.
In a letter to Berry, Ivey said she appreciates his feelings and beliefs on the matter, but that “Alabama law imposes a death sentence for the most egregious form of murder.” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall also weighed in by releasing a statement advocating for the death sentence to be carried out. “The jury voted for death [10-2], and the trial court decided that was the appropriate sentence. West’s conviction and sentence were affirmed, and they have withstood state and federal collateral review. He has been on death row for twenty-six years, and his sentence is due,” Marshall’s statement said.
Unlike most states that require a unanimous vote by a jury to use the death penalty, Alabama only requires that 10 of the 12 jurors vote to apply death as a punishment.
But to Berry, forgiveness is both personal and spiritual. He recalls his mother as someone who valued compassion and faith — qualities that continue to shape how he responds to her death. Choosing forgiveness, he says, honors her memory more than another killing ever could.
His stance has resonated with death penalty opponents, who see in Berry’s plea an example of how mercy can emerge from even the most devastating loss. It is also a powerful reminder that victims’ families do not all speak with one voice. Some find closure in punishment, including the death penalty, but others, like Berry, believe healing comes from breaking free of what they call vengeance.
“Another death will not bring peace,” Berry has emphasized, adding that his hope is to model a different way of responding to violence — one rooted in compassion and reconciliation.
As the scheduled execution approaches, the final decision rests with the governor and state officials. Regardless of what happens, Berry’s call for forgiveness has shifted the story and raised powerful questions. It reminds both Alabama and the wider public that in the face of unimaginable pain, forgiveness remains one of the most radical and courageous choices a person can make.
