Alabama man who said Trump made him kill a woman has no memory of brutal crime, lawyer says

A Birmingham man has been sentenced to life in prison following the brutal 2020 roadside beating of a veteran truck driver on an Alabama interstate. Charles Levester Gipson, 45, made disturbing claims to police following his arrest, asserting that he had killed a woman and that he was compelled to do so by President Donald Trump.

A Violent Tragedy on I-59/20

The victim, 53-year-old Christine Summers, was a mother, wife, and grandmother with nearly 30 years of experience as a truck driver for RTR Transportation. In the predawn hours of August 19, 2020, Summers was horrifically and randomly attacked near the Valley Road exit of Interstate 59/20.

Summers had initially called 911 after spotting a man walking on the interstate, fearing she might have struck him. While speaking with a dispatcher, she exited her truck to investigate, only for the dispatcher to hear her screams before the call abruptly ended. Authorities later found her near her tractor-trailer, where the words “Trump 2020” had been scrawled in the dirt. Evidence indicated she suffered a fatal head injury, with testimony suggesting her head was slammed onto the asphalt.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Charles Levester Gipson was charged with murder in the incident, though he entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. In March, a Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff jury convicted Gipson of manslaughter, finding that drug influence likely mitigated the intent required for a murder conviction.

Beyond the killing, Gipson was convicted of assaulting two Hueytown police officers while in custody. Circuit Judge David Carpenter handed down three life sentences—the maximum possible penalty—with the possibility of parole. While Gipson’s attorney, Victor Revill, argued for a 20-year sentence and claimed his client has no memory of the day due to a mental breakdown, the judge ultimately ruled for the maximum duration.

Investigation and Arrest

Gipson was apprehended shortly after 4:30 a.m. on the morning of the attack after reports surfaced of a naked man on Allison-Bonnett Memorial Drive. SBI Agent Vincent Cunningham testified that Gipson was sweating profusely and made spontaneous admissions about the crime. Despite his claims of memory loss, investigators successfully linked Gipson to the scene through a palm print found on the victim's tractor-trailer.

The case was prosecuted by Bessemer Cutoff Assistant District Attorneys Kaemi Velez, Brent Butler, and Jonathan Brown, while Gipson's defense team included attorneys Revill, Daniel Bond, Rodney Lacy, and Tracy Edmond.