Texas

Robert Roberson: What happens next in Texas ‘shaken baby syndrome’ case

Published

5 months ago

July 17, 2025

Robert Roberson: What happens next in Texas ‘shaken baby syndrome’ case

DALLAS – An execution date has been set for Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson. But the “shaken baby syndrome” case is far from over.

Robert Roberson Execution Set

What we know:

On Wednesday, Judge Austin Reeve-Jackson set Roberson’s new execution date – Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.

The judge stated that he understands an appeal for a new trial is pending, but there was no legal basis for him not to honor the state’s request to set a new execution date.

What’s next:

Roberson’s legal team now has 89 days to find a way to save his life.

The defense can move for a “stay” on Judge Reeve-Jackson’s ruling, meaning his order won’t be enforced since the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals is already considering the case.

If the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals grants the defense’s motion for a new trial, the execution date will be void.

Roberson’s defense team primarily wants that new trial, calling the evidence used to convict him “junk science.” They also claim to have new medical evidence to present.

What they’re saying:

But lead attorney Gretchen Sween said the whole process is much more difficult now that a judge has set an execution date.

“Access is very limited to lawyers when their clients are on death row as it is. You have to schedule phone calls. For instance, I tried to get a phone call so I could talk to my client after today. The soonest day they could give me was July 30. Well, by then I’ll already be there to see him, which is also something you have to arrange. So it doesn’t get easier. It gets harder. And all the other things he has to worry about preparing for this potentially,” said defense attorney Gretchen Sween.

Sween also said that with an execution date, Roberson must also go back to spending nearly all of his time chained up in solitary confinement.

“As I mentioned in the courtroom, he is now a part of this pilot program where he spends much of his days out of solitary confinement with other inmates, unshackled. And even before he was chosen as one of the first 12 to be part of this program, they allowed him to be unshackled in the chapel praying with lawmakers,” she said.

The other side:

All of that, of course, is of little concern to family members who believe Roberson is guilty of killing his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis.

Curtis’ older brother, who was 4 years old when she died, is counting down the days until Oct. 16.

“In my opinion, he did it 100%. I’ve been here since 2016 at the first evidentiary hearing. There’s nothing new,” Matthew Bowman said. “This was done by blunt force trauma. This man laid his hands on this infant baby. I’m done being respectful. It’s time for speaking up for Nikki.”

Robert Roberson Murder Conviction

The backstory:

Roberson, 58, was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in Palestine, Texas in 2002.

He took her to the emergency room with a high fever, where medical staff determined her condition was consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Roberson’s attorneys have challenged that diagnosis, calling it “junk science.” They say Nikki died from natural causes, likely undiagnosed pneumonia.

If executed, Roberson would be the first person in the United States executed for a murder case tied to shaken baby syndrome.

Robert Roberson’s Delayed Execution

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Robert Roberson execution temporarily halted

In a late night ruling, the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay, temporarily preventing the execution of Robert Roberson. Texas House members issued a subpoena for Roberson to testify next week. Roberson would be the first person in the US executed for a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.

The backstory:

A coalition of lawmakers and the lead detective on the case has argued the science supporting Roberson’s death sentence doesn’t hold up.

The Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence issued a subpoena on the day before Roberson’s scheduled execution on Oct. 17, 2024 for the death row inmate to testify at a hearing about his case. The Supreme Court paused the execution that night to review the committee’s request.

An opinion from the Texas Supreme Court in November said that the committee should be allowed to hear his testimony, as long as a subpoena does not block an inevitable execution.

Roberson did not appear at subsequent House committee meetings after the attorney general’s office opposed the efforts to bring him to the Capitol building.

The Office of the Attorney General told the State Supreme Court that doing so would present security and logistical concerns.

The Source: The information in this story comes from Wednesday’s court hearing, statements made by Robert Roberson’s attorney, and past news coverage.

TexasCrime and Public Safety

Source link

Related Topics:Crime Publicsafety Featured news Tx us

Click to comment

Texas

Mike Elko Doesn’t Hold Back Annoyance After Loss to Texas Longhorns

Published

8 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Press Room

Mike Elko Doesn’t Hold Back Annoyance After Loss to Texas Longhorns

Source link

Texas

Je’Shawn Stevenson leads North Texas men’s basketball over Prairie View A&M

Published

20 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Press Room

Je’Shawn Stevenson leads North Texas men’s basketball over Prairie View A&M

DENTON — Je’Shawn Stevenson scored five of his 23 points in the final 23 seconds to lead North Texas to a 72-69 win over Prairie View A&M on Sunday.

Stevenson made a tiebreaking layup and hit the and-1 free throw with 23 seconds to play and capped the scoring with two foul shots just before the buzzer.

Stevenson also contributed five rebounds and five assists for the Mean Green (6-2). David Terrell Jr. added 15 points while going 4 of 10 and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line while they also had five rebounds and nine assists. Reece Robinson went 6 of 9 from the field to finish with 12 points.

Tai’Reon Joseph led the Panthers (3-5) in scoring, finishing with 19 points. Jannoy Thomas added 13 points and seven rebounds for Prairie View A&M. Cory Wells also put up 13 points and two blocks.

Terrell scored seven points in the first half and North Texas went into the break trailing 36-30. Stevenson scored a team-high 17 points for North Texas in the second half.

Find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Find more North Texas coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Source link

Texas

2025 College Football Rankings: Georgia Climbs to No. 3, Texas A&M Drops Out of Top 5

Published

2 days ago

November 30, 2025

Press Room

2025 College Football Rankings: Georgia Climbs to No. 3, Texas A&M Drops Out of Top 5

The balance of power shifts once again to the Big Ten and away from the SEC.

The nation’s top two teams — consensus No. 1 and No. 2 — will enter the Big Ten Championship Game undefeated.

Meanwhile, after Texas defeated Texas A&M for the second consecutive year, no SEC team will enter its conference title game unbeaten. The SEC’s former top-ranked team, Texas A&M, didn’t even qualify for the championship, and the Texas squad that beat the Aggies also lost to Ohio State earlier this season.

For the last two seasons, the national champion has emerged from “The Game,” where it just means more. In that same span, the SEC hasn’t even sent a team to the title game.

It wouldn’t shock anyone if Ohio State and Indiana face off not once but twice in the postseason. What remains to be seen is whether the SEC can even find a path back to the national championship game.

Here’s a look at my top 25 rankings following Week 14 of the college football season:

25. Missouri (8-4), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Arkansas, 31-17

Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy simply can’t be stopped. The sophomore rushed for a game-high 157 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ regular-season finale, marking his eighth 100-yard game in 12 contests.

24. Houston (9-3), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Baylor, 31-24

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman accounted for 322 total yards — including 121 on the ground — and three touchdowns to cap the program’s first nine-win regular season since 2021 and only its second since 2016.

23. James Madison (11-1), Previously Ranked: 21

Week 14 result: Defeated Coastal Carolina, 59-10

James Madison put together an 11-win season in just Year 2 under head coach Bob Chesney and has as many losses to Power 4 teams as programs like Georgia, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas Tech, and BYU. Yet even with a 12-1 record and a conference title, the Dukes could still be left out of the CFP.

In a 24-team playoff, JMU has a shot as one of the two highest-ranked Group of 6 teams, or even as an at-large pick. Still, the harsh reality is that the Dukes could finish 13-1 and never get a chance to test themselves against the sport’s elite.

22. Arizona (9-3), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Arizona State, 23-7

The Wildcats trailed the Sun Devils at halftime before reeling off 20 points in the second half, and their defense created more turnovers (five) than it allowed first downs (three).

21. Tulane (10-2), Previously Ranked: NR

Week 14 result: Defeated Charlotte, 27-0

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall will be in his fourth conference championship game in as many years as a head coach. Tulane — along with UNT and James Madison — have a better shot at the CFP than programs like Vanderbilt, Texas, Miami, and Utah.

If that’s not reason enough to expand the CFP to 24 teams, then you might just not like college football.

20. Navy (9-2), Previously Ranked: 19

Week 14 result: Defeated Memphis, 28-17

The Midshipmen are the first team to hold Memphis to under 20 points in the Tigers’ last 52 games. A win against Army would give Navy back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.

19. North Texas (11-1), Previously Ranked: 18

Week 14 result: Defeated Temple, 52-25

North Texas capped its best regular season ever with 11 wins, punching its ticket to the American Conference Championship Game. With a win next weekend, North Texas could earn its first trip to the College Football Playoff.

18. Michigan (9-3), Previously Ranked: 15

Week 14 result: Lost to Ohio State, 27-9

The Wolverine offense ran fewer than 50 plays against the Buckeyes. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood passed for just 63 yards, and star wide receiver Andrew Marsh didn’t record a single catch.

17. Virginia (10-2), Previously Ranked: 17

Week 14 result: Defeated Virginia Tech, 27-7

With its first win over Virginia Tech this decade, the Cavaliers secured just the second 10-win season in program history and a berth in the ACC Championship Game. A victory there would also earn UVA its first trip to the CFP.

Neither accomplishment seemed within reach for a team that had won just 11 games combined over the previous three seasons. It’s a remarkable turnaround under coach Tony Elliott, who should be a lock for ACC Coach of the Year.

16. USC (9-3), Previously Ranked: 22

Week 14 result: Defeated UCLA, 29-10

The Trojans would be the last automatic qualifier to the proposed 24-team CFP as the fourth-best Big Ten team, thanks to a 7-2 conference record and a head-to-head win over Michigan.

But once again, this blue blood will have to watch another season go by without earning a shot at the national championship.

15. Utah (10-2), Previously Ranked: 16

Week 14 result: Defeated Kansas, 31-21

The Utes finished 10-2 after going 5-7 last year, narrowly missing a chance at the Big 12 title game. In a 24-team College Football Playoff, Utah is likely one of the top teams and would be a worthy contender for a national championship.

14. Vanderbilt (10-2), Previously Ranked: 14

Week 14 result: Defeated Tennessee, 45-24

Quarterback Diego Pavia led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win regular season with another stellar performance: 383 total yards — including 165 rushing — and three total touchdowns. He is one of the best players in the country and should be considered a Heisman finalist, representing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in major college football history.

13. Alabama (10-2), Previously Ranked: 12

Week 14 result: Defeated Auburn, 27-20

Alabama notched a win over its rival and punched its ticket to the SEC Championship Game.

Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson threw three touchdown passes, all to junior wideout Isaiah Horton, who had just five total touchdowns in the previous 11 games combined.

12. Notre Dame (10-2), Previously Ranked: 13

Week 14 result: Defeated Stanford, 49-20

Have the Fighting Irish done enough to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff? That’s the million-dollar question.

Marcus Freeman’s team certainly looked the part Saturday night, rolling up 49 points and 514 yards of offense in a dominant win over Stanford.

11. Miami (Fla.) (10-2), Previously Ranked: 11

Week 14 result: Defeated Pitt, 38-7

The Hurricanes are still ranked behind Notre Dame in the CFP selection committee’s rankings, but after beating No. 22 Pitt to cement a 10-win season, you’d expect that to change. Then again, with that bunch of suits, nothing should be assumed.

10. BYU (11-1), Previously Ranked: 9

Week 14 result: Defeated UCF, 41-21

BYU’s season now comes down to one game.

The Cougars could use style points, but their hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff hinge entirely on Saturday’s Big 12 Championship Game. To secure a spot, they must beat the only team that has defeated them this season: Texas Tech.

9. Texas (9-3), Previously Ranked: 10

Week 14 result: Defeated Texas A&M, 27-17

The Longhorns have beaten Texas A&M two years in a row, and no one enjoys it more than Texas RB Quintrevion Wisner, who recorded Texas’ first 100-yard rushing performance of the season with 155 yards.

Texas might still have a chance to make the College Football Playoff, but its 3-2 record against top-10 teams — and a loss to a 3-9 Florida team that fired its head coach in October — does little to help its case.

8. Texas Tech (11-1), Previously Ranked: 8

Week 14 result: Defeated West Virginia, 49-0

The Red Raiders left no doubt they are the best team in the Big 12 with a showcase win for the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Texas Tech racked up 572 total yards, including 300 passing from quarterback Behren Morton, 33 first downs, and 188 rushing yards — all without a single 100-yard rusher.

7. Oklahoma (10-2), Previously Ranked: 7

Week 14 result: Defeated LSU, 17-13

Take a sigh of relief, Sooner fans. It wasn’t pretty — far from it —but at 10-2, Oklahoma is now in position to host a first-round CFP game after winning four straight.

Oklahoma’s defense continues to shine, holding the Tigers to just 198 total yards in the victory.

6. Texas A&M (11-1), Previously Ranked: 3

Week 14 result: Lost to Texas, 27-17

Texas A&M came oh, so close. But after falling to their in-state rival for the second straight year, the Aggies not only drop in the rankings, they won’t even get a shot at the SEC title.

5. Ole Miss (11-1), Previously Ranked: 6

Week 14 result: Defeated Mississippi State, 38-19

Lane Kiffin’s future as head coach at Ole Miss had no bearing on how his team played with yet another 350-yard passing performance and 100-yard rushing performance from Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, respectively.

4. Oregon (11-1), Previously Ranked: 5

Week 14 result: Defeated Washington, 26-14

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw for 286 yards and a touchdown, while the Ducks’ defense smothered Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. from start to finish.

Dan Lanning’s squad is now 11-1 and hitting its stride at exactly the right moment.

3. Georgia (11-1), Previously Ranked: 4

Week 14 result: Defeated Georgia Tech, 16-9

Death, taxes and the Georgia Bulldogs.

That’s now eight straight wins for the Dawgs in this rivalry called “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.” This is a Bulldogs team lying in wait for a postseason they expect to punish opponents in.

2. Indiana ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠(12-0), Previously Ranked: 2

Week 14 result: Defeated Purdue, 56-3

The Hoosiers punctuated their first-ever undefeated regular season with 355 yards on the ground in a dominant win over in-state rival Purdue.

It was a statement for the six weeks ahead. Indiana looks like a team capable of not just contending — but winning — a national title.

1. Ohio State (12-0), Previously Ranked: 1

Week 14 result: Defeated Michigan, 27-9

Ohio State is the best team in the country.

The Buckeyes broke a nearly six-year losing streak to Michigan, secured their first undefeated regular season since 2019, earned a trip to the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 2020, and notched their 16th consecutive victory.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

Source link