Robert Roberson, a Death Row inmate in Texas convicted of murdering his toddler daughter over two decades ago, is facing imminent execution on October 17, 2024. However, in a shocking turn of events, a bipartisan group of legislators and advocates is calling for clemency, suggesting that Roberson may be innocent.
The case against Roberson
Roberson was sentenced to death after prosecutors claimed he violently shook his daughter, Nikki Curtis, resulting in her death. Medical experts testified that her injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome, a controversial diagnosis linked to severe brain trauma in infants.
On the night of the incident, Roberson reported that Nikki had fallen off the bed while they were asleep and stopped breathing. Despite his consistent claim of innocence, he was convicted largely based on medical testimony that pointed to child abuse.
New evidence and doubts
Recent developments, however, have cast significant doubt on the original case. Roberson’s legal team argues that Nikki’s death could have been caused by undiagnosed pneumonia and improper medical care, conditions that were not adequately considered during the trial. Additionally, they highlight that Roberson, who is autistic, had his behavior unfairly interpreted in court as evidence of guilt.
In 2016, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals halted his execution to reconsider the shaken baby syndrome evidence. However, in a legal twist, the execution was rescheduled this year, despite mounting challenges from defense attorneys citing evolving medical research that questions the validity of the syndrome as the cause of death.
Bipartisan support for clemency
In an extraordinary show of bipartisanship, 84 Texas state legislators have petitioned Republican Governor Greg Abbott and the Board of Pardons and Paroles to halt Roberson’s execution. The bipartisan coalition is joined by medical experts, capital punishment attorneys, and even a former detective involved in the case, Brian Wharton, who now believes Roberson is innocent.
Democrat Representative Joe Moody stated at a press conference, “This is one of those issues that is life and death, and our political ideology doesn’t come into play here.” Wharton, who played a key role in Roberson’s initial conviction, has also publicly shifted his stance, asserting that “knowing everything I know now, I am firmly convinced that Robert is innocent.”
The legal push for clemency
Roberson’s legal team is urging Governor Abbott to commute his sentence, arguing that Nikki’s death was not the result of a crime but rather a tragic medical incident. They claim that Nikki’s severe lung infections and breathing apnea were not properly diagnosed, leading to her sudden collapse.
Governor Abbott has the authority to issue a 30-day reprieve, but it would take a majority vote from the Board of Pardons and Paroles to grant full clemency. Since taking office in 2015, Abbott has spared just one death row inmate, Thomas Whitaker, in 2018.
As Roberson’s execution date approaches, his case raises serious concerns about the fairness of capital punishment when critical medical evidence remains in dispute. His supporters are hoping that Texas officials will intervene in time to save his life.