What else can one say about this?
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office condemned the actions of a bipartisan group of Texas legislators Monday, effectively breaking his silence in the pending execution of Robert Roberson.
In an amicus brief filed by James P. Sullivan, the governor’s general counsel, the governor’s office said lawmakers “stepped out of line” when they intervened to save Roberson’s life.
The brief argued the power to grant clemency in a capital case, including a 30-day reprieve, lies with the governor alone.
“Unless the Court rejects that tactic, it can be repeated in every capital case, effectively rewriting the Constitution to reassign a power given only to the Governor,” Sullivan argued.
The brief accounts for Abbott’s first public comments on the matter. The governor, who had the ability to grant Roberson a 30-day reprieve was silent last week as the unprecedented legal battle unfolded.
The Texas Supreme Court halted the execution of Roberson last week after members of the Texas House committee subpoenaed Roberson to testify in an attempt to save his life.
Roberson was convicted in 2003 in the death of his chronically ill 2-year-old daughter Nikki. Had he been executed last week, he would have been the first person to be executed based in a case related to shaken baby syndrome, a diagnosis that many experts and lawmakers say is no longer supported by scientific evidence.
Roberson has maintained his innocence for more than 20 years on death row.
I haven’t followed the Roberson case closely – you can follow the links above to learn more – but the bottom line is that he was convicted and condemned based on evidence that would not be accepted today. We can choose to value the process (“he got a fair trial and went through the appeals process, that’s how it goes”), or we can choose to value the outcome (“executing an innocent man is barbaric and a travesty”). Greg Abbott has made his choice. Let’s never forget that.
I will give Scott Braddock the last word:
“Stepped out of line.”
Never forget: @GregAbbott_TX thinks the Texas Legislature works for him, not for you #TxLege— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) 1:20 PM – 21 October 2024
Asked in good faith: How many times has @GregAbbott_TX overstepped his executive authority since the beginning of the covid pandemic only to have the Texas Legislature never push back at all? But he goes ballistic if the Legislature might have pushed the limits once #txlege
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) 12:54 PM – 21 October 2024
I hope someday we get tired of being ruled by kings again. I hear that used to be something we all didn’t like. The Chron has more.
The letter filed by the Governor’s office was sloppy and tone-deaf. It would be an embarrassment if the folks who filed it were capable of embarrassment.
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