Texas Stays Execution of Robert Roberson on October 17, 2024

Robert Roberson, Texas

Updated: Thursday, October 17, 2024

Just hours before Robert Roberson’s scheduled execution, a Travis County judge issued a temporary restraining order to delay the execution.  The temporary restraining order was granted after the Texas house issued a subpoena for Roberson to testify before them next week.  Roberson was convicted under the now-largely discredited shaken baby syndrome a/k/a abusive head trauma.  Reexamining the evidence is Roberson’s case has led experts to conclude that the death of Nikki Curtis was not the result of shaken baby syndrome. In 2013,  a law was passed in Texas that permits cases who have otherwise completed their appeals, to challenge their convictions based upon the new evidence.  However, Roberson and his lawyers claim this law has been violated in his case.  The 

Updated: Monday, October 14, 2024

Robert Leslie Roberson III is scheduled to be executed at 6 pm local time, on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at the Walls Unit of the Huntsville State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas.  Fifty-seven-year-old Robert is convicted of the murder of his two-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis, on January 31, 2002, in Palestine, Texas.  Robert has spent the last 21 years of his life on Texas’ death row.

Robert dropped out of school after the 10th grade.  He had previously been convicted on more than one count of burglary.  Robert had previously worked as a cook, construction worker, welder, and laborer.

Nikki Curtis lived in Palestine, Texas with her father, Robert Roberson, who had won a custody battle.  Also living with them was Roberson’s girlfriend, Teddie Cox, and Teddie’s daughter Rachel.  During the week of January 31, 2002, Teddie had been admitted overnight to the hospital for a hysterectomy, while Nikki was babysat by her maternal grandparents.

On January 30, the grandparents called Roberson to pick up Nikki, as one of them was sick.  According to Teddie, Roberson was upset that he had to retrieve his daughter, but did so.

The following morning, Teddie called, saying she had been discharged and needed a ride home.  Roberson told Teddie that Nikki was not breathing and he would need to come to the hospital anyway.  Teddie implored Roberson to bring Nikki to the hospital immediately.  

When Nikki arrived at the hospital, she was not breathing and her skin was blue.  She was pronounced dead later that day.  Doctors eventually diagnosed her cause of death as “shaken baby syndrome” sometimes referred to as “shaken impact syndrome.”  Nikki had experienced severe head trauma. When asked what had happened, Roberson stated that Nikki had fallen off her bed. 

Today, shaken baby syndrome is largely discredited by scientists.  This discreditation has been the focus of appeals by Roberson and his lawyers in recent years.  Additionally, in 2018 as an adult, Roberson was diagnosed with autism.  Roberson and his attorney argue that this diagnosis is significant because it explains many abnormal behaviors exhibited by Roberson during his interactions with police and later during his trial that made Roberson appear callous, cold, and unemotional over Nikki’s death.

Nikki had previously had health problems during her young life, including respiratory issues and a high fever the week of her death.  The medications given to Nikki to help her breathe have since been discovered to suppress breathing and have been labeled as unsuitable for toddlers.  Roberson and his attorney claim that doctors never examined Nikki’s preexisting illnesses as a potential cause of death.

Roberson was convicted and sentenced to death on February 21, 2003.  He has insisted that he is innocent and did not harm or kill Nikki.

This is not Roberson’s first execution date.  He was previously scheduled to be executed in 2016, however, his execution was stayed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.  In 2023, his stay was lifted after the highest criminal court determined there was not enough evidence to overturn his death sentence, leading to a new execution date being scheduled.

Roberson is currently appealing his conviction and sentencing and seeking to have his execution halted.

Please pray for peace and healing for the family of Nikki.  Please pray for strength for the family of Robert Roberson.  Pray that if Robert is innocent, lacks the competency to be executed, or should not be executed for any other reason, that evidence will be presented before his arrest.  Please pray that Robert will find peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.