Texas Supreme Court pauses Robert Roberson's execution in 'shaken baby' case

The Texas Supreme Court late on Thursday night delayed the execution of Robert Roberson, who was originally scheduled to be put to death earlier in the day after being convicted of murder in a case related to shaken baby syndrome.

A Texas House committee had requested the stay so that Roberson could testify at a hearing in his case next week.

Wednesday the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied a request for clemency for Roberson.

On Thursday the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals had rejected an appeal to halt the execution.

Also on Thursday the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt the execution. Justice Sonya Sotomayor wrote urging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to issue a 30-day delay in Roberson's case. Gov. Abbott has so far not commented on the case.

Roberson was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2002 killing of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis.

RELATED STORY | Texas intends to execute Robert Roberson, whose attorneys claim he was wrongly convicted

Prosecutors allege Roberson abused his daughter and violently shook her to death, leading to the "shaken baby syndrome" diagnosis.

Roberson's attorneys claim he was wrongly convicted. His defense now points to undiagnosed pneumonia as his daughter's cause of death — claiming Nikki stopped breathing in her sleep.