"But prosecutors argued that her head trauma must have been caused by shaken baby syndrome, a diagnosis popularised in the late 1990s as evidence of physical abuse in infants and toddlers. But that diagnosis has been increasingly rejected, as doctors and medical researchers point out that the symptoms of shaken baby syndrome namely, bleeding or swelling in the eyes or brain can be caused by other conditions. Roberson's defence team has argued that Nikki suffered from chronic pneumonia in the lead-up to her death, and the medications she was given, including codeine, contributed to her death."
"Judge Bert Richardson contrasted the shifting nature of the medical research with the finality of execution in his concurring opinion. There is a delicate balance and tension in our criminal justice system between the finality of judgment and its accuracy based on our ever-advancing scientific understanding, Judge Richardson wrote. A death sentence is clearly final and, once carried out, hindsight is useless."
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals paused Robert Roberson's execution and agreed to reopen his habeas petition days before his scheduled October 16 execution. Roberson was convicted in 2003 of killing his two-year-old daughter after she was brought to an emergency room unconscious; he maintains she was sick and fell from her bed. Prosecutors relied on shaken baby syndrome to explain head trauma, but that diagnosis has faced growing rejection because symptoms like bleeding or swelling can arise from other conditions. Defense attorneys cite chronic pneumonia and medications, including codeine, as contributing factors. The court referenced a similar 2024 overturned case and a judge emphasized requiring the highest standards of accuracy before carrying out a death sentence.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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