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The Texas Supreme Court has ruled against lawmakers who used their subpoena power to halt the execution of a death row inmate for his daughter’s “shaken baby” death, paving the way for it to proceed. "Categorically prioritizing a legislative subpoena over a scheduled execution, in other words, would become a potent legal tool that could be wielded not just to obtain necessary testimony but to forestall an execution," the Texas Supreme Court said in its ruling Friday. But the Office of the Attorney General quickly appealed the subpoena, which was supported by a district court judge's temporary injunction that halted Roberson's execution. After the state's highest criminal court agreed with the attorney general's office, allowing Roberson's execution to continue, lawmakers then petitioned their case to the Texas Supreme Court. "Given the overwhelming new evidence of innocence, we ask the State of Texas to refrain from setting a new execution date."

Persons: Robert Roberson, Nikki, Roberson, Joe Moody, Jeff Leach, Moody, Leach, Ken Paxton, Nikki's, Gretchen Sween, Robert, Sween Organizations: Texas Supreme, Committee, Democrat, Republican, of Locations: Texas, U.S, Nikki's, Houston, Austin, of Texas

A death row inmate convicted of killing her toddler daughter is “actually innocent” of murder and should be freed from custody, the prisoner's trial judge said in documents unearthed on Thursday. The case, which has gained notoriety through reality TV star and aspiring attorney Kim Kardashian, is now before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Texas death row inmate Melissa Lucio holds one of her sons, John. "So heartbreaking to read this letter from Melissa Lucio’s children begging for the state not to kill their mother," Kim Kardashian wrote in 2022. "It became a nightmare from which she couldn’t wake up when she was sent to death row for a crime that never happened.

Persons: “, Arturo Nelson, Melissa Elizabeth Lucio, Lucio, Nelson, Kim Kardashian, Melissa Lucio, John, Mariah's, Melissa Lucio’s, Amanda Knox, Jeff Leach, Donald Trump, “ Melissa Lucio, Vanessa Potkin, Melissa Organizations: NBC, KPRC, Appeals, Texas Department, Criminal, Republican, Innocence Locations: Cameron County, Houston, Texas, Harlingen, Italy, Plano

CNN —Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson sat praying in a cell Thursday night, just feet from the execution chamber where he was set to die by lethal injection for the “shaken baby” death of his toddler. Just over 90 minutes before Roberson’s execution was set to begin, the House committee was able to secure a temporary restraining order against the state, pausing the execution. Roberson’s case is called into questionAdvocates for Roberson insist the diagnosis that his daughter died from shaken baby syndrome is inaccurate and has been discredited. Shaken baby syndrome is accepted as a valid diagnosis by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported by child abuse pediatricians who spoke with CNN. Since 1992, courts in at least 17 states and the US Army have exonerated 32 people convicted in shaken baby syndrome cases, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.

Persons: Robert Roberson, Nikki, Roberson, God, “, ”, Amanda Hernandez, Robert Roberson –, Gretchen Sween, Joe Moody, Jeff Leach, Jennifer Roberson, Robert, “ It’s, Brian Wharton, Wharton, ” Wharton, “ We’ve, ” Roberson, –, Moody, Leach, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, pediatricians, Nikki Curtis, Nikki “, Dr, Sandeep Narang, Antoinette Laskey Organizations: CNN, Texas Supreme, Texas House, Texas Department, Criminal, Texas, US, Appeals, Criminal Justice, Division, Texans, Huntsville Unit, Texas Capitol, Texas Gov, American Academy of Pediatrics, US Army, National Registry, American Academy of Pediatrics ’, Child Locations: Texas, Palestine , Texas

CNN —A Travis County judge granted a Texas House committee’s last-minute temporary restraining order request against the state just 90 minutes before Robert Roberson was scheduled to be executed Thursday. While authorities have not confirmed the execution is delayed, Roberson’s attorneys and the committee fighting for him told CNN they believe the execution is currently halted. “This is an injustice and his blood is on Abbott and Anderson County,” she told CNN. I did not hear his voice,” Brian Wharton, the former detective who oversaw the investigation into Nikki’s death, told state lawmakers Wednesday at a hearing featuring the case. I don’t want to be there, I don’t want to watch it happen,” Wharton told CNN.

Persons: Travis, Robert Roberson, Amanda Hernandez, Roberson, Sonia Sotomayor, ” Sotomayor, ”, Sotomayor, “, ” Robin Maher, Greg, Abbott, Dale Wainwright, Jennifer Roberson, Brian Wharton, Roberson’s, he’s, pediatricians, Nikki Curtis, They’ve, Paroles, ’, Nikki, Nikki “, –, Robert, ” Brian Wharton, Wharton, Gretchen Sween –, ” Wharton, John Grisham, Sween, Jeff Leach, Antoinette Laskey, ” Laskey Organizations: CNN, Texas, Texas Department, Criminal, US, Former Texas Supreme, Huntsville Unit, Supreme, GOP, Wednesday, Appeals, American Academy of Pediatrics, US Army, National Registry, American Academy of Pediatrics ’, Child Locations: Texas, ” Texas, Travis, Huntsville, Anderson County, Anderson, Palestine , Texas

☆ Calls for mercy mount as Robert Roberson faces execution for a crime his advocates say did not happen
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Dakin Andone | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

While child abuse pediatricians remain firm on the validity of the diagnosis, Roberson’s attorneys say there is ample evidence that his daughter, Nikki Curtis, did not die of child abuse. Additionally, she had fallen off a bed, and was particularly vulnerable in her sickly condition, Roberson’s attorneys say. Roberson’s attorneys are not disputing that babies can and do die from being shaken. Separately, Roberson’s attorneys have petitioned the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and GOP Gov. A bipartisan group of more than 80 Texas legislators has supported Roberson’s case, and his request for clemency.

Persons: CNN —, Robert Roberson, he’s, Roberson’s, pediatricians, Nikki Curtis, –, Paroles, Greg Abbott, Roberson, Abbott, ”, Jeff Leach, ” Leach, Joe Moody, John Grisham –, ” Grisham, “, ’, Ed Lavandera, Ashley Killough Organizations: CNN, US, Texas, GOP Gov, Republican, Washington Post Locations: Texas, Collins County, Anderson County

A Gallup poll from October found 50% of Americans believe capital punishment is applied unfairly, compared to 47% who believe it is fairly implemented, Maher said. Nearly 200 death row exonerations since 1975, including three in 2023, also have helped changed people's minds about the fairness of the death penalty, Maher said. In recent years, various individuals across the country, including conservative legislators, have raised concerns about the death penalty or debated its future, Grosso said. One allows the death penalty in child rape convictions, despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling banning capital punishment in such cases. Texas, the nation’s busiest capital punishment state, has not been immune to the ongoing debate over the death penalty.

Persons: —, Eric Berger, Alabama —, Robin M, Maher, ” Maher, Catherine Grosso, George Floyd, Grosso, Berger, Ron DeSantis, ” DeSantis, Corinna, Jeff Leach, “, ” Leach, ” Berger, ___, Juan, Lozano Organizations: HOUSTON, University of Nebraska, Washington, D.C, Gallup, Michigan State University’s College of Law, Florida Gov, U.S, Supreme, University of Richmond School of Law, GOP, Texas, Texas Senate Locations: U.S, Lincoln, Oklahoma, — Texas, Florida , Missouri , Oklahoma, Alabama, United States, Florida , Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Idaho, Virginia

☆ A Texas House committee hearing was derailed after prank names like 'Connie Lingus' and 'Anita Dickenmee' were called for public comment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Texas House committee meeting on March 29 took an unexpected and hilarious turn. The meeting went awry when people submitted prank names like "Anita Dickenmee" and "Holden Middick." What about Anita Dickenmee? This is the second time in the last month that state legislators have been pranked by people at House committee meetings. At a meeting in Florida last week, Florida Republican Will Robinson Jr. read out names like "Anita Dick" and "Holden Hiscock."

☆ Executions in U.S. continue decline but many ‘botched,' report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Kate Brown commuted the sentences of all 17 of the state’s death row inmates to life in prison without parole. There have been no federal executions since January 2021 following a historic use of capital punishment by the Trump administration. Dunham said he believes ongoing issues with botched executions or reviews of execution protocols by states is helping to erode public support of capital punishment. In 2000, Texas executions reached a high of 40, according to this year’s annual report by the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Dunham said he believes the number of botched executions has contributed significantly to the movement among lawmakers, particularly conservatives, to express doubts about the death penalty.

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