Texas Supreme Court Halts Execution of Robert Roberson, Who Was Convicted in Daughter's Death

Mar. 15, 2025

Robert Roberson.Photo:Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

The Texas Supreme Court announced onsocial mediathat it had “issued a stay” on the execution after several Republican and Democratic state lawmakers issued a subpoena for Roberson to testify at a hearing next week about his case.

“The district court granted a temporary restraining order to prevent the execution so that it can review the plaintiffs’ right to compel the inmate’s attendance before the committee,” Supreme Court Justice Evan Young wrote in anopinion.

Young added that the district court “should proceed to the underlying merits with maximum expedition, subject to this Court’s review.”

“After being told about the stay, he (Roberson) praised God and thanked his supporters,” Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Amanda Hernandez toldNBC NewsandUSAToday.

Hernandez added to NBC News that Roberson was returned to his unit in prison. Although he received a stay, “what happens after that, we’ll have to see," Hernandez said.

The news comes after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declined to recommend clemency for Roberson and the U.S. Supreme Courtdeclined to intervenein the days that led up to his execution, according toCNN.

A lower court then issued a temporary restraining order halting the execution on Thursday, Oct. 17, but an appeals court overturned that order. This prompted a petition to the Texas Supreme Court from state lawmakers, which proved successful.

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Brian Wharton, who was the lead detective investigating Nikki’s death, said he believed Roberson was innocent, especially after learning that Roberson was diagnosed with autism in 2018.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, have maintained that Roberson was guilty of murder, saying that there was evidence Nikki was shaken and had suffered abuse at the hands of her father.

“Everything that [Roberson] continues to complain of has been litigated in state and federal court, and every court has rejected his arguments,” prosecutors wrote in an Oct. 9 objection to a stay of execution.

source: people.com