The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) stayed the execution of Robert Roberson this morning, one week before he was scheduled to be executed on October 16, 2025. Roberson, convicted in 2003 of the death of his 2-year-old daughter based on now-contested “shaken baby syndrome” theories, has long maintained that his daughter died from natural causes and a short fall, not abuse. Today’s order marks the latest pause in a case that has drawn not only international attention but intense scrutiny from medical experts, lawmakers, and even the case’s original lead detective.
The stay comes days after new filings spotlighted fresh evidence of potential judicial misconduct—reported in NBC Dateline’s new podcast The Last Appeal—including allegations that the trial judge urged the child’s removal from life support, a decision that enabled prosecutors to pursue capital charges. The motion asks the CCA to consider this evidence and grant a new trial. The court’s action keeps Roberson alive while it reviews these issues alongside the broader scientific debate over shaken baby diagnoses. Next steps will depend on the CCA’s merits review and any further briefing or remand.
Roberson’s case has become a statewide focal point for concerns about outdated forensics and fairness in capital prosecutions. Today’s stay ensures those questions can be fully examined before any irreversible action is taken.
Read the court’s order here.
