PALESTINE, TX – Suzanne Johnson, an 80-year-old woman working at a daycare center in Southern California in 1997, spent over two decades in prison for the death of Jasmine, a six-month old child, by “shaken baby syndrome” prior to scientific advances that could disprove the diagnosis, reported The UK Times.
Four years after her conviction was overturned, the state of Texas prepared to execute a man for the same offense, writes The Times.
Johnson stated that Jasmine had “fallen from a high chair” but prosecutors convinced a jury that “the baby was killed by deliberate abuse resulting in shaken baby syndrome (SBS),” reported The Times, adding in April 2020, 21 years into Johnson’s life sentence, she was granted clemency after pediatric pathologists dismantled the evidence that resulted in her conviction.
In 2002, Robert Roberson, a 57-year-old man, was convicted for the death of his chronically ill two-year-old-daughter in Palestine, TX, leading to his placement on death row, says The Times, adding Johnson is working to save Roberson from his sentence.
Two hours before Roberson was set to receive a lethal injection, a judge called off preparations due to a last-ditch maneuver by the Texas House of Representatives, reported The Times.
Roberson’s execution was suspended indefinitely to allow time for him to testify before a bipartisan legislative panel hearing, according to The Times.
Johnson described those pushing for the execution to go forward as “bloodthirsty,” wrote The Times.
Dr. John Plunkett, a forensic pathologist, and three other doctors stated, in Johnson’s case, “the retinal hemorrhages found on Jasmine could have been caused by a fall from her high chair, as could the skull fracture and brain swelling,” said The Times, noting doctors also discovered that a breathing tube was placed incorrectly during resuscitation efforts, which could have played a role in Jasmine’s death.
Nikki, Roberson’s daughter, had a litany of medical issues that had resulted in 46 hospital or doctor visits during her 23 months of life, reported The Times. Roberson only won custody of Nikki two months prior to her death and was allegedly not made aware of her multiple conditions.
According to Roberson’s lawyers, Nikki died from double pneumonia and sepsis, not a head injury, said The Times, adding in the week leading to her death, Nikki had a fever of 104.5F and two doctor visits.
In the 2003 trial, the jury was not told of Nikki’s medical history, reports The Times, stating Brian Wharton, a lead detective on Roberson’s case who testified against him in 2003, now believes in Roberson’s innocence because the “science” used to convict Roberson has drastically changed.
In a recent hearing, the five Republicans and four Democrats on the House committee all believe that the 2013 “junk science” law is being ignored, and demanded a retrial for Roberson in light of the new evidence, said The Times.
