Texas Death Row Inmate Receives Last-Minute Reprieve, Awaits Legislative Hearing Amid Shaken Baby Syndrome Controversy

AUSTIN, Texas — In a dramatic twist of fate, 57-year-old Robert Roberson’s imminent execution was halted by the Texas Supreme Court moments before it was scheduled to take place, providing a temporary reprieve amid ongoing legal debates. Roberson, accused of causing the death of his two-year-old daughter through what is often referred to as “shaken baby syndrome,” was to be the first American executed under such charges.

This last-minute stay issued Thursday evening comes as Roberson continues to assert his innocence in a case that has been fraught with controversy and appeals, reflecting the broader tensions and criticisms surrounding capital punishment practices in Texas, the state with the highest number of executions since the death penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976.

Roberson’s near-execution was paused due to a subpoena from a bipartisan group in the Texas House Representatives, requiring his testimony before their criminal jurisprudence committee regarding the use of possibly discredited forensic methods in his trial. The urgency of the lawmakers’ request resulted in a temporary restraining order against the state, although this was initially overturned by a divided Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Persistence from the committee, however, led to the Texas Supreme Court stepping in to uphold the delay.

The impending hearing, scheduled for Monday at noon in the state capitol, will see members from both political parties – five Republicans and four Democrats – examine the implications of the state’s junk science law on Roberson’s conviction. This law allows inmates to challenge their convictions based on new evidence that may discredit the scientific methods previously used in their trials.

Roberson, who has been in solitary confinement for two decades, enduring nearly 24 hours a day in a small cell, has garnered a mixture of support and criticism throughout his legal battles. His attorneys argue that his daughter had multiple health issues, including severe reactions to prescribed medications and acute pneumonia progressing to sepsis, which they claim contributed to her death. Further complicating Roberson’s defense is the fact that symptoms of his autism, which was not diagnosed until 2018, might have been misinterpreted during the investigation.

Support for Roberson’s plea for clemency has also come from unexpected quarters, including Brian Wharton, the lead detective on the case, who expressed remorse over his role in the proceedings, describing Roberson as an innocent man whom he will be “forever haunted” by having helped convict.

In contrast, prosecutors maintain that Roberson is guilty, arguing that all evidence of abuse and the exact nature of the injuries sustained by Nikki Curtis have been thoroughly examined in both state and federal courts, with all appeals to overturn the conviction being denied thus far.

As the hearing approaches, the case continues to draw attention from activists and observers around the country, serving as a poignant example of the ongoing debates over the fairness and application of the death penalty in the United States, particularly in cases involving complex medical and scientific evidence. The outcome of Monday’s hearing could potentially lead to a historic act of clemency, or it could see the re-scheduling of Roberson’s execution, further extending the long and painful saga for all involved.