The son of a woman who was murdered showed forgiveness towards her killer and pleaded for the halting of the execution. Geoffrey West, then 21 years old, fatally shot Margaret Parrish Berry, 33, at an Alabama gas station during a robbery on March 28, 1997. West has expressed deep remorse for his actions and the victim’s son, Will Berry, who was only 11 years old at the time of his mother’s death, has corresponded with him.

Despite the tragic incident, a bond of forgiveness has developed between West and Berry. They have expressed a desire to meet each other in person, but their request has been denied by prison authorities. As West faced a scheduled execution by nitrogen gas in Alabama, Berry publicly stated his forgiveness towards the killer, emphasizing that he does not wish for retribution in his or his family’s name.

Berry has also been an outspoken critic of the death penalty, highlighting the stance in Alabama, which is one of the 27 states in the U.S. that still retains it. Prosecutors revealed that Berry was murdered to eliminate witnesses following the robbery. West, now 50 years old, has admitted to the crime, attributing it to financial desperation at a young age. He continues to grapple with the regret of his actions, expressing a wish to undo the past.

Governor Kay Ivey responded to Berry’s plea by acknowledging his sentiments but stated that the law in Alabama mandates capital punishment for severe crimes. A representative from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office emphasized the gravity of the crime and the necessity of enforcing the sentence, noting that West has been on death row for over two decades.