DALLAS — In a groundbreaking action by a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers, the execution of death row inmate Robert Roberson was halted.
This decision followed a subpoena from the Texas House of Representatives Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, which called for Roberson to testify about his case on Monday.
Consequently, the Texas Supreme Court agreed to pause his execution temporarily.
Roberson will testify virtually in Austin on Monday, according to the Dallas Morning News. He will be testifying before a bipartisan group of state lawmakers.
State Representative Lacey Hull (R-Houston) argues that Roberson should have been granted a new trial under a new Texas law. She is puzzled as to why the courts have not utilized the Junk Science Law. It was passed by the legislature in 2013. This law was intended to provide relief for individuals and enable them to secure a new trial.
“We are unsure why the courts have not applied our Junk Science Statute in Robert's case. It is very clear that the new evidence, he should get a new trial under the Junk Science Statute and that never happened,” Rep. Hull said on Inside Texas Politics.
As lawmakers prepare for the upcoming legislative session, the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee plans to investigate why judges are not adhering to the law.
“We don't want innocent people in prison, and we certainly do not want innocent people executed in Texas,” Hull said.
Issuing the subpoena marked a new approach for lawmakers. However, committee members wanted to hear from Roberson to understand why Texas's statute appears not to have been followed.
“They felt like for legislative purposes, they needed Robert to come and testify, again, to find out more in-depth of why our junk science statute is not being followed," Hull said. "To have that firsthand information from Robert that no one else can explain except Robert and especially as a man with autism.”
