Texas Halts Execution Over Controversial 'Shaken Baby' Evidence
For 23 years, Robert Roberson sat on Texas' death row convinced the medical evidence that convicted him would outlive him. Last week, just days before his scheduled execution, an appeals court threw him a lifeline – shining new light on the controversial science behind shaken baby syndrome.
"This isn't just my story," Roberson told The Age from prison. "It's about how medical guesses become courtroom facts."
The 61-year-old was sentenced in 2003 for killing his two-year-old daughter Nikki based on now-disputed medical theories linking her death to violent shaking. But as scientific consensus shifted, courts slowly began recognizing what Roberson's attorneys call a "medical revolution" overturning once-accepted forensic methods.
When science evolves
Shaken baby syndrome diagnoses peaked in the 1990s-2000s, sending caregivers to prison worldwide. But recent research shows many symptoms previously attributed to abuse can result from accidental falls and natural medical conditions:
- 32 exonerations in US shaken baby cases since 2001
- Australia reexamining past convictions
- UK courts requiring new medical testimony standards
Dr. Suzanne Elliott, a forensic pathologist consulted in Roberson's appeal, explains the shift: "We now know short falls can cause fatal injuries previously considered abuse markers. Medical certainty isn't permanent – our justice system must adapt."
The long road ahead
Roberson's case now returns to trial court for review using current medical understanding. While prosecutors maintain Nikki's death was intentional, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals acknowledged scientific consensus has "materially changed" since his original trial.
The decision could impact similar cases in Australia, where children's hospital specialist Dr. James Rae warns: "We're seeing delayed diagnosis of genetic conditions when doctors jump to abuse conclusions prematurely."
As Roberson awaits his new day in court, his attorneys emphasize this is bigger than one case: "Every overturned conviction reveals our system's fragility when science stands still."