On November 15, 2024, the Texas Supreme Court paved the way for the execution of Robert Leslie Roberson III. In 2003, Roberson, a neurodivergent man, was convicted on murder charges stemming from the shaken baby syndrome death of his 2-year-old daughter. The court’s ruling followed an eleventh-hour stay of execution issued by the Texas House of Representatives, which subpoenaed Roberson in a final bid to delay his execution. In recent weeks, Roberson’s case has attracted a litany of media attention and spurred a dramatic effort to secure Roberson a new trial due to the controversial science underlying his conviction. Though widely accepted within the pediatric community, biomechanical experts have long questioned the legitimacy of shaken baby syndrome diagnoses. Mr. Roberson’s life now depends on Article 11.073 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Known as the “junk science writ,” the statute presents an unprecedented legal avenue “allowing prisoners to challenge potential wrongful convictions by showing that changes in the field of forensic science…seriously undermined the integrity of the criminal trials resulting in their convictions.”

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