3 wk. ago • 99%

Texas top court blocks execution of man in shaken baby syndrome case

https:// www.reuters.com /world/us/texas-set-execute-man-convicted-disputed-shaken-baby-syndrome-case-2024-10-17/

Texas Supreme Court halts execution of Robert Roberson

Lawmakers subpoena Roberson to testify, creating unprecedented legal clash

Roberson guilt questioned by many including lawmakers, lead detective in his case

Oct 17 (Reuters) - The Texas Supreme Court on Thursday temporarily halted the execution of a man scheduled to become the first person to be put to death in the United States for murder attributed to shaken baby syndrome, according to a court document.

The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of a bipartisan group of state lawmakers who asked that the execution, scheduled to take place on Thursday evening, be delayed.

The lawmakers requested the delay after issuing an unprecedented subpoena on Wednesday for death row inmate Robert Roberson to appear before them and answer questions about his case.

Texas representatives Joe Moody and Jeff Leach, who orchestrated Roberson's subpoena and have championed his cause, praised the Texas Supreme Court decision in a written statement.

7 comments

Texas choosing to not execute a man (for now)? Surprising, but not unwelcome.

Also:

In a response to that petition, the Texas Attorney General's Office said Roberson had failed to prove his "actual innocence," and that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals had ruled Nikki's injuries were "inconsistent with a short fall from a bed or complications from a virus."

That's... not how the burdern of proof works at all?

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- That's... not how the burdern of proof works at all?
  
  Frustratingly, I believe that's how it works when attempting to overturn a conviction - as you are already convicted, you are assumed to be guilty and as such have to prove your innocence.
  
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  You'd think if the state were so sure of its case, it would happily continue to prove guilt later on and wouldn't need to rely on PRESUMED guilt.
  
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Good, this absolutely looks like a case where someone with autism is blamed for not having the 'right' reaction to a stressful situation.

Forensic science sure seems to be a giant load of shit based on faulty assumptions that there is only a malicious explanation for anything involved in a criminal investigation.

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- Allism is a mental disorder characterised by lack of empathy and an irrational belief in the ability to read minds.
  
  https://psychcentral.com/blog/aspie/2018/09/allism-spectrum-disorders-a-parody
  
  Allism, also known as Allism Spectrum Disorder, is a pervasive developmental disorder which impairs a persons social, communicative, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral function. The symptoms of allism range from moderate to severe and are lifelong; however, with intensive treatment and early interventions, the presentation of symptoms can be less severe. Currently, there is no cure for allism; however, therapeutic and dietary interventions in the research stage of development are showing promise.
  
  Persons with allism tend to suffer from a lack of empathy, or mind blindness, in that they have difficulty understanding or intuiting the needs and thoughts of others. They assume that the independent actions, facial expressions, voice inflections, and factual statements of others are intended to be hostile, argumentative, or condescending. May suffer from delusions of persecution and believe that others are judging them or attacking them; difficulty understanding the motives of others; believes the thoughts and opinions of people are related to their own participation and existence in the world.
  
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I really didn't see that coming.

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