Austin, 4 October 2025 — A rare coalition of conservatives, Republican lawmakers, and even long‑time death penalty supporters is urging Texas courts to grant a new trial for Robert Roberson, a 58‑year‑old man scheduled for execution on October 16.
Conviction Under Scrutiny
Roberson was convicted in 2003 of murdering his two‑year‑old daughter, Nikki, after prosecutors argued she died from “shaken baby syndrome.” He has consistently maintained his innocence, and his lawyers now argue that modern medical evidence discredits the diagnosis, pointing instead to chronic illness as the likely cause of death.
Bipartisan and Unusual Support
The case has drawn bipartisan concern in Texas, with Republican legislators, conservative donors, and even some advocates of capital punishment calling for a retrial. They argue that executing Roberson without reassessing the evidence would risk a grave miscarriage of justice. Autism experts have also highlighted that Roberson’s undiagnosed autism at the time of trial may have led to misinterpretations of his behavior, including his perceived lack of emotion at the hospital.
Legal Maneuvers and Political Tensions
Roberson has chosen not to seek clemency, which would only commute his sentence to life in prison, but instead is pursuing a new trial to clear his name. His legal team contends that his original defense was inadequate and that the court failed to consider critical medical evidence. The case has sparked a political clash between state lawmakers pushing for a retrial and Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, which continues to oppose Roberson’s appeals.
Broader Implications
If carried out, Roberson’s execution would mark the first in the U.S. based on a shaken baby syndrome conviction, a diagnosis increasingly criticized as “junk science.” Rights groups and legal experts warn that the case could set a troubling precedent for the use of disputed forensic evidence in capital cases.
With the execution date approaching, pressure is mounting on Texas courts to decide whether Roberson’s conviction will stand or whether a new trial will be granted in what has become one of the state’s most closely watched death penalty cases in decades.
