Robert Roberson, theTexas death row inmate believed by many to be innocent, did not die as scheduled Thursday night.
Despite a handful of challenges from a state that seemed intent on killing him, the Texas Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution for the East Texas man who has spent more than two decades awaiting lethal injection. The decision was met with celebration from the legislators, activists and friends who have insisted that Roberson’s case was argued on a junk science theory known as "shaken baby syndrome."
In the Thursday evening hours that Roberson’s fate was debated, dozens of protesters sat outside the state penitentiary in Huntsville to protest Texas' death penalty laws. Members of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement held yellow signs that read “Honk to stop executions!” and “End the death penalty!” A sign propped against the knees of Ramona Vandam, a criminal justice student from the Netherlands, demanded “Not one more!”
Vandam met with Roberson several times in the months leading up to his execution date as part of her studies. Expecting a subject, she found a companion.
“I think he is the most inspiring, special person I’ve ever met in my life. I made him a promise to be here,” Vandam said. “[Robert] asked all of us to keep on hoping for him. That was the most important thing he taught me, to keep on hoping and to have faith. … He is not ready to go.”
Vandam said she’d spent the days leading up to Roberson’s execution date in a state of dread. Just before 10 p.m., as she learned of the court’s order to halt the execution, she gasped, covered her face with her hands and began to cry.
“This is such a relief,” she said. “He must be so happy, but the case is still there. It’s just waiting for the next dates.”
A spokesperson with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told reporters that Roberson was “shocked” to learn of the stay order and began praying. Roberson was alone in the hours his case was maneuvered through the courts and did not enter the death chamber at any point, the spokesperson added.
Roberson will be returned to the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, as no new execution date has been set. The department will begin “working with the attorney general” to discuss the logistics of delivering Roberson to the upcoming Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, where lawmakers subpoenaed the man to appear Monday in an unprecedented attempt to delay the execution.
Activists spent the minutes after the order was handed down cheering, crying and chanting: “Greg Abbott says death row, We say hell no!” (Abbott, who could have issued a 30-day pause at any point, has been silent thus far on the highly contested case.)
Praying as if everything depends on God, which it does. But working as if everything depends on us. #RobertRoberson #txlege
— Jeff Leach (@leachfortexas) October 18, 2024
One member of the crowd, Pamela Tise, expressed a closeness to Roberson, despite never meeting him.
Tise spent 20 years on Texas’ death row before her sentence was overturned by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2000. In that time, she was given two execution dates and came within days of the first before it was delayed. The back-and-forth court process as her case was appealed and denied and appealed again was an “emotional roller coaster,” she said.
“I can’t even put into words what it’s like sitting there, not knowing from one minute to the next if you’re going to live or going to die. My heart just really goes out to [Robert] right now,” Tise said. “You go in one court and you get a little bit of hope, and then you go to the next court and you get knocked down.”
Documents released by the Department of Criminal Justice show that Roberson, who is described by those close to him as a religious man, spent the days leading up to his execution date speaking with visitors, prison staff and fellow inmates and praying.
And, whether he knew it or not, people were praying for him too. Janet Jackson and Cheryl Schindler from Houston traveled to Huntsville to show solidarity with Roberson. As Methodists, the women believe the death penalty is immoral, and they travel to state executions in hopes that their presence gives strength to inmates in their last hours.
Schindler said she has been against the death penalty since she was a middle school student, when she was “horrified” to learn of the practice that she believed ended with “the Cowboy days.” She said she prayed for Roberson throughout the day alongside her husband.
Jackson, who has attended a vigil for all five executions held in Texas so far this year, said the crowd outside the prison on Thursday was the largest she has seen, and the vigil had a “different, more solemn” feeling than others because of the widespread belief of Roberson’s innocence.
A bipartisan swell of support for the Texas Supreme Court’s stay erupted Thursday evening, with state Reps. Joe Moody of El Paso and Jeff Leach of Plano, who issued the subpoena for Roberson's appearance, expressing their deep gratitude that Roberson’s anticipated appearance in Austin will grant the man “a chance to be heard.”
Democratic state Rep. John Bucy of Williamson County told reporters he met with Roberson in the weeks leading up to the execution date and was inside the prison chambers throughout Thursday evening. Speaking to the media after the stay was issued, Bucy “implored the governor” to listen to Roberson’s testimony in the coming weeks.
“As a man of faith, he is so thankful to God for this decision,” Bucy said. “He knows this isn’t over. He wants the truth to come to light, and the Texas House is working to do that.”
