First Texas Man on Death Row for ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ Granted Last-Minute Stay of Execution

Texas’s highest court has issued a last-minute stay of execution for Robert Roberson, 57, a death row inmate convicted in the 2002 death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki. Roberson was set to be the first person executed in the U.S. for murder linked to shaken baby syndrome, a condition that some experts argue is misunderstood. 

Scheduled for lethal injection on Thursday, Roberson's execution was halted after Texas lawmakers and the state Supreme Court intervened, granting a reprieve. The upcoming proceedings could lead to either a new execution date or an extraordinary act of clemency in a state that has led the nation in capital punishment. 

On Wednesday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected Roberson’s plea for clemency, voting against commuting his sentence to life in prison or delaying his execution. Governor Greg Abbott, who has the power to halt executions, also declined to intervene. In nearly a decade as governor, Abbott has commuted only one death sentence. 

Despite these setbacks, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives has subpoenaed Roberson to testify before their committee next week, amid rising calls to spare his life. 

Roberson has consistently maintained his innocence in Nikki's death. An autopsy revealed the toddler suffered bruising on her head, brain swelling, and bleeding behind her eyes. Doctors and police concluded she died from blunt-force trauma caused by shaking. 

Shaken baby syndrome is a severe brain injury resulting from violently shaking an infant or toddler, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can cause permanent brain damage, serious injury, or even death. 

During Roberson’s trial, witnesses testified that he had been seen hitting and shaking his daughter when angry. Medical staff at Palestine Regional Medical Center also reported Roberson showed little emotion when bringing Nikki in for treatment, raising concerns about possible abuse. His conviction was based largely on shaken baby syndrome findings. 

Supporters, including parental rights groups, autism advocates, and faith leaders are seeking either a full pardon or a reduced sentence

 

However, Roberson’s defense team argues that advances in medical science suggest other conditions, including Nikki’s preexisting health issues, could have contributed to her death. They claim Nikki had been treated with medications unsuitable for toddlers and had suffered from acute pneumonia, which led to sepsis. 

Additionally, Roberson's lawyers argue that his autism, which was undiagnosed until 2018, played a role in his behavior during the investigation and trial, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Advocates for Roberson say his autism was unfairly used against him. 

Supporters, including parental rights groups, autism advocates, and faith leaders, are calling for clemency, seeking either a full pardon or a reduced sentence. Bestselling crime author John Grisham also voiced his support, writing in the Palestine Herald-Press that Nikki’s death was “a tragedy, not a crime.” 

Roberson’s attorneys are asking the court to reconsider the evidence, emphasizing the possibility that Nikki’s death was the result of her medical conditions, not abuse. 

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Texas has executed 591 people since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, accounting for more than a third of the 1,602 executions carried out nationwide.