It’s about power, cruelty
Politics can be crazy and ugly. It’s not designed to propel the best candidates to election.
Now, however, we have entered a whole new level. The appalling story of Robert Roberson and his brush with the death penalty in Texas have revealed the “quiet part.” It’s all about power and cruelty.
In the face of scientific and legal arguments that Roberson is actually innocent of killing his baby daughter in 2002, every level of potential intervenors declined to step in to stop his execution.
The only way his execution was finally averted was by a bipartisan group of Texas legislators issuing a subpoena for Roberson to appear for a hearing four days later. Then came the crowning blow. Gov. Greg Abbott has claimed that the legislators exceeded their authority by stepping into the situation. Apparently, the governor’s ego was triggered by the idea that anyone would infringe on his sole authority to grant clemency.
Given the overwhelming evidence that, at a minimum, Roberson deserves to have the new science and information presented, I can’t imagine what reason there could be to deny that. It seems we’re back to the idea that it’s all about power and cruelty.
Jan McDowell, Carrollton
Proving authority
Re: “Court upholds stay of execution — Paxton had asked for it to be reversed, citing separation of powers,” Monday news story.
Right to life? Beyond a reasonable doubt? Why is Attorney General Ken Paxton hell-bent on murdering a Texas citizen when the evidence clearly raises a reasonable doubt? This poor man has already spent 20 years in prison for a crime that probably never happened. Paxton apparently thinks execution is acceptable in order to prove he has the power and authority to kill a person.
Steve McCluer, Far North Dallas
Where was governor?
Gov. Greg Abbott’s silence (until Sunday) on Robert Roberson has been deafening. Abbott was outspoken about pardoning Daniel Perry earlier this year. Perry, a self-proclaimed racist who threatened in multiple social media posts to shoot people with whom he disagreed, was lawfully convicted of murdering Garrett Foster after driving recklessly into a peaceful demonstration where Foster was protesting.
Abbott was so anxious to pardon Perry that he asked the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles for an expedited recommendation.
But our supposedly pro-life governor couldn’t bring himself to give Roberson a chance at life despite serious questions about the basis for Roberson’s conviction and a bipartisan effort to have his case reexamined. Abbott evidently is “pro” as to only certain lives.
Ann Ward Purcell, Dallas/Lake Highlands
Questions need answers
I have a couple of questions that The Dallas Morning News has not answered in its reporting on Robert Roberson. First, did Roberson violently shake his baby? Second, could such shaking have been the cause of death of the child? If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then let’s forget about the death penalty and just lock him up for the rest of his life.
Gene Griffin, Lorena
Time for Abbott to step in
Re: “Abbott asks court to void subpoena — He says lawmakers ‘stepped out of line’ to delay man’s execution, compel testimony,” Tuesday news story.
So Gov. Greg Abbott is upset because “lawmakers stepped out of line” by pausing the execution of Robert Roberson. After watching the hearing and observing a statement that Texas was 20 minutes and 20 steps away from executing an innocent man, aren’t we fortunate they did step in?
If Abbott needs to be involved, he can redeem himself by watching Monday’s testimony and then order Roberson released from prison immediately.
Jeff Foster, Carrollton
Join civilized world
The ongoing controversy surrounding the attempt to execute Texas inmate Robert Roberson is an embarrassment that we in the United States have experienced time and again. The United States infamously joins China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Somalia in the top five countries in numbers of recorded executions. Rounding out the top 10 are Singapore, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen and Egypt.
North Korea, a country that is governed by a dictator, also executes its citizens, but exact statistics are not available. Every European country has abolished the death penalty except Belarus and Russia, which has a moratorium. The United States stands out in North America as the only country that still has capital punishment, as our neighbors Canada and Mexico reject that practice.
Texas has spent over 20 years trying to kill Roberson. Even if the merits of his case did not put his conviction into question, as they do, it is time that our country joined the majority of the civilized world and did away with the policy of taking a human life as a punishment for crime.
Alan Kazdoy, Far North Dallas
Who is bigger danger?
In spite of new findings that shaken baby syndrome may be blamed for deaths attributable to other causes, Texas seems to be determined to execute Robert Roberson for this crime. Gov. Greg Abbott can ask members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles to review Roberson’s case.
Since the governor appoints these members, it would appear that if he wants the conviction overturned, the board would likely follow his wishes as it did in the case of Daniel Perry, who had been convicted of murdering Garrett Foster in 2020. Abbott then pardoned Perry.
But there were powerful conservative voices such as Tucker Carlson advocating for Perry. Roberson’s advocates appear to be either more liberal or lesser known, such as author John Grisham or a Palestine detective whose testimony helped convict him.
It would seem to be in the public’s best interest for the board to recommend clemency and for Abbott to sign a pardon. After all, who would seem to represent more danger to the public? Is it a man convicted of murdering someone he disagreed with or an autistic man whose trial never addressed the many underlying conditions his daughter had and likely caused her death? Just asking.
Phyllis Vaughn, Sherman
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