PALESTINE, Texas — As lawmakers in Austin debate and deconstruct the death penalty case against Robert Leslie Roberson III, Matthew Bowman keeps a teddy bear in his possession in Palestine, Texas — the stuffed animal his sister Nikki Curtis held in the days before her sudden death.
"She never really left our house," Bowman said of his younger half-sister. "Her memory stayed alive the entire time even when I was four. I've always questioned when she was coming home," he said of his memories from 22 years ago.
Bowman and members of his extended family were in Huntsville two weeks ago, intending to be witnesses to Roberson's execution. The execution is now on indefinite hold after lawmakers with the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee won a temporary pause as they try to get Roberson a new trial based on their belief that crucial evidence was not considered.
Although Roberson was convicted of capital murder for his daughter's death that was ruled a homicide by blunt force head injuries, critics have been trying to convince appellate judges that pneumonia and over-prescribed medications could be to blame.
Nikki's brother firmly believes the execution should have been carried out.
"I believe it should proceed or he should tell us the real truth," Bowman said of Roberson.
Nikki Curtis and Matthew Bowman had the same mother but different fathers.
"This is about justice for Nikki. That's 100 percent what it's about," Bowman said. "I am here for my sister and I want proof, I want to know what happened. And he's the only one that can tell that. But he will not do it."
This week, the Roberson case suffered another legal diversion in Austin. State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Collin County) apologized after sending text messages to an appellate judge, a friend, asking for consideration in Roberson's favor.
"I've wracked my brain about whether I should send you this message," Leach texted, "about where I can even send you this message legally and ethically. There are too many questions and too many holes and too much uncertainty … and Robert Roberson deserves a new trial. Only sending this message to you as my friend and as a wonderful Judge who I have so much faith in, I hope you'll consider doing so."
Judge Michelle Slaughter reported the text as a possible violation of Texas' Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cried foul saying that Leach "has unconstitutionally interfered in capital punishment proceedings." He is "unfit to serve in any capacity overseeing our judicial system"..."and Leach must resign."
Leach apologized on social media saying "I'm not afraid to admit when I mess up … and that's exactly what I did."
"I don't really feel like they care if he's guilty or he's not guilty. I just feel like they're making a name for themselves really," said Bowman when asked about the political wrangling over Roberson's fate. "I just really believe they're being disrespectful to my sister."
Roberson remains on death row. Legal filings are being presented to the Supreme Court of Texas to determine what happens next in the case.
"What more is there to hear of this stuff? We've heard everything. I think that this needs to be stopped, done and be over with and get on with what we were fixing to do."
"It's seems like everybody's forgotten about Nikki," Bowman said. "And if we don't speak, they're gonna make it all about him. People have lost that this is about that 2-year-old baby that didn't get to live her life."