**Scheduled Execution of Robert Roberson Draws Attention Amid Claims of Wrongful Conviction**

Texas is set to execute Robert Roberson this Thursday despite claims from his attorneys and advocates that he was wrongfully convicted of murdering his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, over two decades ago. Roberson's backers argue that Nikki's death was due to double pneumonia and sepsis, exacerbated by medications unsuitable for young children, rather than from abuse.

When Roberson brought a non-breathing, blue-skinned Nikki to a hospital in Palestine, Texas, medical staff and police immediately suspected abuse. Bruises, severe brain swelling, and bleeding led to a quick diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. Attorneys for Roberson argue this diagnosis was a misjudgment, further compounded by a failure to recognize Roberson's undiagnosed autism, which was only identified in 2018 and led to misinterpretations of his "flat" demeanor.

As Roberson faces execution, his case spotlights the broader controversy surrounding shaken baby syndrome diagnoses. Medical professionals such as former American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Lee Savio Beers affirm the legitimacy of abusive head trauma, a term now preferred over shaken baby syndrome to include other causes such as blunt impacts. Despite this consensus, criminal defense lawyers and evolving scientific understanding have fueled debates in legal arenas. Courts in at least 17 states and the US Army have exonerated 32 individuals since 1992 who were initially convicted in shaken baby syndrome cases.

Roberson's supporters include the Innocence Project, autism advocacy firms, a bipartisan group of over 80 Texas legislators, and prominent author John Grisham. Former detective Brian Wharton also regrets his role in the investigation, which he now believes was too narrowly focused on Roberson as the suspect.

In an ongoing effort to save Roberson, his attorneys have filed a petition arguing the judge lacked proper jurisdiction to schedule his execution. They have also requested clemency from the Texas Pardons and Parole Board and Governor Greg Abbott, seeking a commuted sentence or a 180-day reprieve for further appeals.

Roberson claims his daughter's fatal injuries were sustained after a fall from the bed the night before she was brought to the hospital. Roberson, who had only recently gained custody of Nikki, insists on his innocence as he faces the lethal injection scheduled for this week.