"A Texas prisoner who is facing execution having been sent to death row on the basis of “shaken baby syndrome”, a child abuse theory that has been widely debunked as junk science, has had his petition to the US supreme court denied."
"At his 2003 trial, Roberson was portrayed by prosecutors as a cold and calculating father who displayed no emotion. After his conviction, though, the inmate was diagnosed with autism which put those qualities in a completely different light."
"Amid mounting concern around the reliability of Roberson’s conviction, prominent individuals have called for a rethink before a possibly innocent man is executed. They include five retired federal judges and 16 current and retired forensic scientists and pediatric doctors."
"The police detective who led the investigation into Nikki’s death has also developed such serious doubts about the reliability of the evidence that he has called for a review of the case. Brian Wharton, who testified for the prosecution at the 2003 trial, told the Guardian that he was “deeply saddened” by the supreme court’s decision not to take the petition."
