Death Sentence For Texan Daughter-Killer.

Texas' Racist Justice System Targets Black Fathers, Again.

Another Black man is facing execution in Texas, this time for the death of his 2-year-old daughter. Despite compelling evidence of his innocence, the state is pushing forward with the execution, displaying a callous disregard for Black lives and a broken justice system.

URL: https://www.innocenceproject.org/robert-roberson/

Texas' racist justice system has set an October execution date for Robert Roberson, a Black man accused of killing his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki. This despite compelling evidence that Mr. Roberson is innocent and that the so-called "science" used to convict him has been disproven.

Mr. Roberson languishes on death row because Texas courts have ignored advancements in science and compelling new medical evidence not heard by the jury that proves his innocence. - Innocence Project, July 1, 2023

Robert Roberson's Story

Nikki was born in 1999 to a homeless woman who had already had two children removed from her custody. Roberson gained custody of Nikki in November 2001 and was unaware of her chronic medical issues. Nikki often suffered from infections, breathing apnea, and would suddenly stop breathing, collapse, and turn blue.

Two days before her death in January 2002, Nikki was prescribed Phenergan, a cough syrup that has since been labeled unsafe for children with conditions like hers by the FDA. On the night of her death, Roberson found Nikki unconscious with blue lips and rushed her to the emergency room. Despite his pleas for help, medical staff presumed his guilt due to his unemotional behavior, later attributed to his autism spectrum disorder.

For 20 years, I have thought that something went very wrong in Mr. Roberson's case and feared that justice was not served. I am convinced that Mr. Roberson is innocent. - Brian Wharton, former lead detective on the case

A Miscarriage of Justice

Roberson was arrested and charged with capital murder based on the now-discredited theory of "shaken baby syndrome." Despite presenting evidence of Nikki's medical history and the lack of intent to kill, Roberson's trial lawyers were unable to counter the prosecution's racist and biased argument.

In 2016, Roberson filed a writ of habeas corpus, arguing that new scientific evidence contradicted the shaken baby syndrome theory and that his right to a fair trial had been violated. This motion successfully stayed his execution, but sadly, the appeals court denied relief in January 2023.

Community Outrage

The Innocence Project, prominent public figures, and members of Roberson's community are speaking out against this blatant injustice. A petition to stop Roberson's execution has gained nearly 13,000 signatures. Despite this, a judge has set an execution date for October 17, 2023.

It is clear that Texas' justice system is broken and biased against Black individuals, particularly Black fathers. Robert Roberson's case is yet another tragic example of this ongoing injustice.

Take Action

Join the Innocence Project and thousands of others in demanding justice for Robert Roberson: https://www.innocenceproject.org/robert-roberson/

URLs:
https://www.innocenceproject.org/robert-roberson/
https://www.innocenceproject.org/petition/stop-the-oct-17-execution-of-robert-roberson-an-innocent-father/