Another Innocent Man About to Be Put to Death By A Texas Governor

Thirteen years ago I wrote about the case of Cameron Todd Willingham (see https://thegreatrollcall.blogspot.com/2011/06/gov-rick-perry-willingham-case-is.html) who in 2004, Texas Governor Rick Perry allowed to be executed on disproved forensics by a commission he appointed. In perhaps the most unethical, immoral and dispicible acts ever committed by a U.S. Governor, when Governor Rick Perry learned of the report about to be made public by the commission he appointed, Perry deep sixed the report, disbanded the commission and allowed Willingham to be put to death because it was an election year. When asked later how he felt about executing a possibly innocent man, the Governor infamously replied "This is a guy on his-on-in the death chamber, his last breath, he spews a profanity-laced triad[sic] against his wife. That's the person who we're talking about here. And getting all tied up in the process, here is, frankly a deflection of what people in this state and around the country need to be looking at. This was a bad man." Death by Fire | FRONTLINE The take away is in Texas it is ok to execute an innocent but "bad" man and an innocent man's use of profanity with his last breath justifies his punishment. (cue the music "and his truth is Marching on, glory, glory Hallelujah!") Now 20 years later and another clueless, mean spirited, buffoon Republican (redundant, I know) Governor of the great State of "We put children, the mentally deficient and innocents to death" Texas, Greg Abutt is about to follow in Perry's footsteps and straight to Hell.

In the heart of Texas, a man named Robert Roberson sits on death row, awaiting his execution scheduled for October 17, 2024. Convicted in 2003 for the death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki, Roberson's case has become a focal point of controversy and debate over the validity of "shaken baby syndrome" as a cause of death. On a cold January morning in 2002, Roberson awoke to find his daughter unresponsive. He rushed her to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed her with brain injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Despite his insistence that Nikki had fallen out of bed, Roberson was arrested and later convicted of capital murder. Over the years, scientific advancements have cast doubt on the shaken baby syndrome diagnosis. Experts now argue that Nikki's symptoms could have been caused by other medical conditions, and even the detective who initially testified against Roberson has come forward to support his release¹². Roberson's case has garnered widespread attention, with a bipartisan coalition of state legislators, medical experts, and advocates calling for clemency. They argue that the evidence used to convict him is outdated and unreliable. Despite these efforts, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has denied his requests for a new trial¹³. As the execution date looms, Roberson remains hopeful that Texas Governor Greg Abbott will intervene. "I would like the public to know that I'm innocent," Roberson said in a recent interview. "I'm not guilty of this"¹. The story of Robert Roberson is a poignant reminder of the complexities and potential flaws in the criminal justice system, especially when it comes to cases involving controversial medical diagnoses. His fate now rests in the hands of those who have the power to grant him a second chance at life. ¹: [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-inmate-robert-roberson-first-us-execution-case-shaken-baby-death-rcna173437) ²: [USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/09/30/death-row-penalty-the-excerpt/75453434007/) ³: [Yahoo News](https://news.yahoo.com/news/texas-lawmakers-urge-mercy-autistic-205136780.html)