Texas death row inmate’s controversial crime stirs outcry for clemency
When Shaken Baby Syndrome Leaves Evidence Of Innocent Men Behind bars: The Robert Roberson Case
He is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on Wednesday, but time is running out for Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson as calls grow urging that he not face execution over the murder of his 2-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis. Supporters contend that the crime may not have happened, claiming Roberson was convicted on a controversial diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome which has since been cast into doubt by some experts.
National media attention has focused on the case, with Roberson’s friends and advocates — including some lawmakers in Texas but also victim activists groups here who believe his execution is just cause to pause.
Roberson’s lawyers argue Nikki died in the spring of 2002, but child abuse did not cause her death; it was a convergence of medical problems. His defence argued that according to medical experts, the toddler had double pneumonia and sepsis with potentially inappropriate medications for children being prescribed which could have contributed to their deteriorating health.
And on top of that, Nikki had recently taken a spill from her bed (making it one more thing to compromise our baby at an already vulnerable time) However, given those factors and the prevailing belief in child abuse at the time by doctors who failed to follow up on her medical history prior to ’77.
Misread Behavior: A New View, With Autism Diagnosis
Medical professionals and law enforcement thought Roberson’s behavior was too casual at Nikki emergency room visit, which they claimed showed he may have committed the murder. His lawyers, on the other hand, claim that his actions were symptomatic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — a condition he wasn’t diagnosed with until 2018. The original case detective, Brian Wharton, is now among Roberson’s defense team; he suggests the investigation was too limited in scope.
The Danger of the Death Penalty: Executing an Innocent Person
The matter serves as a stark example of the risks present in capital punishment that an individual may be incorrectly found guilty and later put to death. More than 200 individuals have been exonerated after being sentenced to death since the reinstatement of capital punishment in 1973, including eight — now nine — men from Texas, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Roberson’s attorneys filed a request for stay of execution with the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday claiming his due process rights were violated when Texas’ highest criminal court turned down their bid to present new evidence that they say points to Robeson’s innocence. A second appeal remains pending before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which on Tuesday denied another request for a stay.
Clemency Efforts, Legislative Support
Attorneys for Roberson have also been seeking clemency from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles as well as Gov. They are seeking either the commutation of his death sentence or a 180-day reprieve to argue that before courts convened. Tomorrow, the board will announce its recommendation. If clemency is denied, Governor Abbott has the option to offer a one-time 30-day reprieve.
Here’s a bipartisan group of Texas legislators, meanwhile on the Roberson train! The Texas Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence will meet Wednesday to look into issues surrounding the death penalty and its own “junk science writ” law that allows for convictions to be challenged if there is a new development in scientific discovery.
While Roberson’s case is not officially on the agenda, several committee members have called for a halt to his execution. State Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican on the committee, said he hoped to raise awareness of Roberson’s case and spark an appeal before his scheduled execution date
Is Shaken Baby Syndrome Really a Diagnosis?
Roberson’s test is one of hundreds that the Times investigation has found in which the diagnosis helped put a defendant behind bars and has been disputed, sometimes years later. The American Academy of Pediatrics still recognizes it as a diagnosis, but many criticizes say there are other medical conditions that can look like the symptoms and you must rule out everything else before determining abuse.
According to the National Registry of Exonerations, 32 people convicted in shaken baby cases since 1992 have been exculpated, or found not guilty, by courts around the nation. But child abuse pediatricians say their reversals of abusive head trauma cases are rare, and warn that the diagnosis should never be based on one criterion alone.
On The Same Texas Cases
Among related cases, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals last year granted a new trial for another man serving 35 years in prison on conviction involving shaken baby syndrome and contemporaneous with Dropped Over’s analysis leading to today’s hearing. JUDGES CITE SCIENTIFIC SHIFT Among related legal challenges wending their ways through state courts nationwide,… That decision has emboldened Roberson supporters to push for a deeper look into his case.
Perhaps, the Hail Mary of all Hail Marys to stop an execution.
As time is running out, Roberson’s legal team — bolstered by advocacy organizations and legislators—fight on in his name for a review of the evidence, working to create more public awareness that he may qualify. It is unclear at this time whether his appeals or clemency request will be granted, given the heat bearing down on Texas to make right of its error.
For more updates about this case and all other similar legal news stay connected with shaktiexpress. com.