House panel issues ‘unprecedented subpoena’ in last-ditch effort to halt Texas execution of Robert Roberson

A Texas House committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to subpoena death row inmate Robert Roberson ahead of his Thursday execution, an extraordinary step that sought to give Roberson a final lifeline after a series of court rejections left him on track to become the first person in the country executed for allegedly shaking a baby to death.

The move “sets up a bit of a separation of powers issue that I think would result in him not being executed tomorrow night,” Benjamin Wolff, director of the Texas Office of Capital and Forensic Writs, said on Wednesday, adding that he had not seen this maneuver attempted before, so it was not clear what could happen. “It’s an unprecedented subpoena and an unprecedented case.”