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Texas Lawmaker Says Robert Roberson’s Lawyer Showed Up at Jury Foreman’s Home, Here’s Why She Did It
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Texas Lawmaker Says Robert Roberson’s Lawyer Showed Up at Jury Foreman’s Home, Here’s Why She Did It

HOUSTON – As tensions continue over the delayed execution of a death row inmate, Robert RobersonA Texas lawmaker suggests his lawyer overstepped his bounds by showing up at the home of a former jury foreman. However, the lawyer says there is more to the story.

RELATED: AG Paxton calls for Jeff Leach’s resignation after message to judge asking to consider new trial in Roberson case

According to an email from Texas Rep. Cody Harris of District 8, the jury foreman denounced (via his office) Roberson’s lawyer coming to his home, unannounced, “to try to convince him” to change your mind about the matter. .

Here is the full statement from Harris’ office on behalf of Steven Cubstead, the foreman of the jury in the case:

“Last week, Robert Roberson’s lawyer, Gretchen Sims Sween, showed up unannounced at my house to try to convince me to change my mind in the case of Robert Roberson, the man convicted of the murder by Nikki Curtis, 2 years old. Although I believe his conduct was highly inappropriate, it has caused me to re-examine the case.

Everything said by Roberson’s defenders is a lie, including what is said by the former juror. I did not vote to convict Roberson because of shaken baby syndrome; I voted to convict him for the bruises on Nikki’s face, her crushed skull, and the evidence proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Roberson is guilty of murdering a 2-year-old girl. It’s been 22 years since this case, and I have no trouble sleeping at night knowing that we convicted Robert Roberson – he is dangerous and justice must be served.

This statement follows representations at war about Roberson.

MORE: Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of misinterpreting Robert Roberson’s case. | Relatives of 2-year-old victim appeal to Texas lawmakers, highlighting evidence against convicted killer Robert Roberson

KPRC 2 has reached out to Sween, Roberson’s attorney, for comment and confirmation. In a lengthy emailed response, she explained that she “asked the former juror” to review new evidence that Roberson’s jury had not previously seen, “but he was unwilling to do it.”

Among the new evidence, Sween pointed to the autopsy report that “clearly indicates…there is no skull fracture.” Additionally, she refuted the former juror’s claims that he did not to convict Roberson based on the “shaken baby” theory – although there were “260 references to this hypothesis in the trial record since it was the state’s theory.”

SEE ALSO: Robert Roberson Juror Says New Evidence Would Have Prevented Conviction in Shaken Baby Case

Sween also highlighted a plethora of new documents and updated testimony, including those from the lead detective who investigated 2-year-old Nikki’s death, “regarding the unreliable ‘snitch’ and other testimonies about sexual assault allegations that are invalid and false.

“Any Texan should be troubled that government officials are more interested in pushing for the execution of a fellow Texan than in examining overwhelming evidence that the target of their attacks is likely innocent of any crime “, she concluded.

See below for his full statement to KPRC 2.

“I had asked the former juror if he was willing to look at the new evidence that Robert Roberson’s jury had never seen, but he was not willing to do so. The statement released by Representative Harris indicates that this juror did not convict Mr. Roberson based on the “shaken baby” hypothesis, but there are more than 260 references to this hypothesis in the trial transcript since it was the theory of the State. Another juror (Terre Compton here: ) testified that she had indeed convicted Mr. Roberson based on the shaken baby theory. Please see this document on the 263 references to tremors during Mr. Roberson’s trial: https://tinyurl.com/mr49vrax.

“That juror, according to Harris, also claims the conviction was based on “bruises” seen on Nikki’s face and his memory of “her skull being crushed.”

“I would like to point out to you the autopsy report (below), which was previously made public by the Attorney General’s Office. In this report it is clearly stated on p. 4: “There is no skull fracture. » How to imagine that a child’s skull could be “crushed” without even causing a hairline fracture of the skull defies the fundamental laws of physics. Additionally, the autopsy clearly shows that there were no fractures of any kind. Furthermore, the total absence of skull fracture was verified by the CT scans taken by Nikki upon her arrival at the hospital on the morning of January 31, 2002.

“I also attach an expert report from a pediatric radiologist on this crucial medical evidence – which the jury never saw in 2003 and which the medical examiner never bothered to examine in 2002. These examinations , objective proof of NIkki’s condition when her father brought her to the hospital. from the hospital, were locked in a basement closet at the Anderson County Courthouse until 2018, making a full review of medical evidence impossible until nearly 20 years after the conviction .

“A rebuttal from Roberson’s attorneys, including a new statement from lead detective Brian Wharton, who investigated Nikki’s death, can be found in the section titled “False Statement #11″ on pages 19-22 regarding the ” snitch” unreliable and other testimonies. on invalid and false sexual assault allegations here: https://tinyurl.com/y64zxfyc)

I also feel compelled to acknowledge and briefly respond to the letter issued by some members of the Bowman family who have been told for 22 years that Robert Roberson committed a heinous crime against a member of their family. It is understandable that some family members’ grief over what happened and the story they were told for more than two decades led them to speak out publicly. To our knowledge, the record does not show that these family members expressed concern about Robert Roberson caring for Nikki before her tragic death; indeed, Nikki’s maternal grandparents agreed that Robert should have custody of Nikki months before her death and asked him to care for her the night before she collapsed. Undisputed evidence now shows that Nikki died from undiagnosed fatal pneumonia and complications from the dangerous doses of medications she was prescribed. Finally, as the letter from Robert’s brother Thomas demonstrates, Robert has the support of Nikki’s family members who do not believe that Robert ever harmed Nikki and who believe in what science and medicine have demonstrated; Nikki’s death was a tragedy but not a crime.

We must remember that Nikki had parents on both sides who loved her. (Please see the letter from Robert’s brother, Thomas Roberson here: https://tinyurl.com/36rpktnp.).

Every Texan should be troubled that government officials are more interested in pushing for the execution of a fellow Texan than in examining overwhelming evidence that the target of their attacks is likely innocent of any crime.

Other lawmakers like Brian Harrison and Lacey Hull also hit back at Harris’ claims in a joint statement saying in part:

“There are blatant and demonstrable lies being circulated regarding the Robert Roberson affair. The claims that Nikki Curtis had a “crushed skull” and a “fractured skull” are so absurd they would be laughable if the implications weren’t so dire.

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