The Texas Supreme Court has halted the scheduled execution of Robert Roberson, who was set to be the first person in the U.S. executed for a murder conviction linked to shaken baby syndrome. Roberson, convicted of killing his two-year-old daughter in 2002, has long maintained his innocence, supported by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and experts who argue that his conviction was based on faulty scientific evidence.
Roberson was just hours away from execution when the state's highest court intervened. This move came after both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals declined to stop the lethal injection earlier in the day. Roberson remained in a holding cell at the Walls Unit in Huntsville, Texas, as legal battles unfolded.
Supporters of Roberson, including Republican and Democratic lawmakers, have argued that his case was mishandled due to outdated medical science. They believe Roberson's daughter died from complications of pneumonia, not from abuse. Despite this, Roberson has spent 20 years on death row.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott holds the power to delay the execution by 30 days, but he has not publicly commented on the case. In his nearly ten years as governor, Abbott has halted only one imminent execution. As time ticked closer to the midnight deadline, when Roberson's death warrant would expire, many were unsure if Abbott would intervene.
Earlier in the day, a state judge in Austin had issued a temporary restraining order after Texas lawmakers issued a subpoena for Roberson to testify next week. This unprecedented move was an attempt to gain more time for his legal team to present new evidence.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the U.S. Supreme Court also voiced concern, urging Abbott to grant a 30-day delay in a ten-page statement. However, the high court ultimately declined to halt the execution.
Roberson's case has sparked widespread debate over shaken baby syndrome, also known as abusive head trauma, which was the basis for his conviction. His lawyers alongside medical experts, and even bestselling author John Grisham, have called into question the science behind the syndrome, which they argue has been misapplied in many cases.
Roberson's legal team claims that his daughter's injuries were not caused by shaking but by her falling out of bed after suffering from pneumonia. They also assert that his autism, undiagnosed at the time, played a role in his conviction as his emotional response to his daughter's death raised suspicion.
As Roberson's case continues to be scrutinized, it highlights the growing controversy surrounding shaken baby syndrome diagnoses in the legal system. His supporters argue that this case is a tragic example of how outdated scientific theories can lead to wrongful convictions.
With the Texas Supreme Court's last-minute intervention, Roberson's fate remains uncertain. The spotlight now shifts to Governor Abbott and Texas lawmakers as they decide whether to allow more time for new evidence or proceed with the execution.
