Enroll in The Short, The Texas Tribune’s everyday e-newsletter that maintains visitors up to speed up on one of the most crucial Texas information.
Texas fatality row prisoner Robert Roberson is looking for one more remain of implementation and a brand-new test after asserting the Anderson Region Judiciary acted unconstitutionally numerous times in his situation, mentioning brand-new proof offered Roberson’s lawful group in June.
Roberson was founded guilty in 2003 of eliminating his constantly unwell 2-year-old child, Nikki Curtis, by strongly drinking her prior to taking her to a medical facility. A 125-page application submitted Wednesday in the third Area Court in Anderson Region declares Nikki was removed life assistance at the instructions of her grandparents– in spite of Roberson being her single conservator– just after agents with the Anderson Region Judiciary incorrectly informed health center personnel the pair was Nikki’s lawful conservators. Roberson was apprehended for resources murder after Nikki passed away.
The declaring additionally recommends that after that third Area Court Court Jerry Calhoon was incorrectly associated with the situation and validated an order to offer Roberson’s lawful advise in spite of his child, Mark Calhoon, being a district attorney in Roberson’s test. The previous court did not command the test.
Jerry Calhoon additionally commanded Roberson’s guardianship fight for Nikki with her grandparents, Larry and Verna Bowman, and withdrawed his guardianship after he was apprehended. Mark Calhoon took control of as third Area Court court in 2007.
The application specifies that the brand-new proof was just offered since state Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, found out of the Anderson Region Judiciary’s participation in enabling Nikki’s grandparents to eliminate her from life assistance. Hull gave a testimony that was consisted of in the declaring.
Hull consulted with agents from Kid’s Medical Facility of Dallas, where Nikki was removed life assistance, throughout the legal session to talk about an expense in February. Throughout the conference, she explained Roberson’s lawful guardianship, according to her sworn statement. Hull stated the agents appeared uninformed of Roberson’s single conservator legal rights till that conference.
” My assumption was that CMCD realised for the very first time throughout this conference with me in 2025 that health center personnel had actually been misleaded by [Anderson] Region concerning that commanded to take out vital therapy from Mr. Roberson’s child Nikki when that activity was taken,” Hull stated in the sworn statement.
After Chief law officer Ken Paxton asked for an implementation day for Roberson, that is set up to be nailed to a cross on Oct. 16, Hull connected to Roberson’s lawyer and educated her of her conversation with the health center agents.
Hull belonged to a bipartisan team of legislators that asked for Roberson’s clemency in 2024 prior to he was set up to be carried out. His situation ended up being a flashpoint in the Legislature as legislators effectively took care of to delay his implementation by summoning him for a board hearing in October.
At the facility of public conversation on Roberson’s sentence is drunk child disorder, which Nikki was identified with and what Roberson’s lawyers state district attorneys pivoted his sentence on. Drunk child disorder has actually considering that ended up being a disputed medical diagnosis, as some study has actually recommended the signs utilized to determine the disorder can additionally be brought on by various other elements, like brief drops.
Even more all-star audio speakers verified for The Texas Tribune Celebration, Nov. 13– 15! This year’s schedule simply got back at a lot more interesting with the enhancement of State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo; previous USA Chief law officer Eric Holder; Abby Phillip, support of “CNN NewsNight”; Aaron Reitz, 2026 Republican prospect for Texas Chief law officer; and State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin. Obtain your tickets today!
TribFest 2025 exists by JPMorganChase.