The Junk Science That Gets Parents Convicted of Murder
Although [Louise] Woodward’s case put a spotlight on the questionable science behind shaken baby syndrome, today, mothers, fathers, and caregivers are still being prosecuted for it. It is estimated that over the decades thousands have been accused, and many convicted, of harming or killing a child by shaking.
Now, more than a quarter of a century later, Scheck is again putting shaken baby syndrome on trial. The Innocence Project has taken up the cause of exonerating Robert Roberson, a man who has spent more than 20 years on death row in Texas—mostly in solitary confinement—for the 2002 death of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki.
Rede more at The Free Press: The Junk Science That Gets Parents Convicted of Murder
Recommend the link, it sounds a very tragic case.
Imagine being the guy in prison, twenty years of it.
No matter the cause of death, you need beyond reasonable doubt.
He says the child fell out of bed, and that can kill the child.
Saying he shook the baby, is the same as the baby falling out of bed.
How do you actually prove either, the injury looks the same.
Rather a thousand go free, than an innocent getting prison.
Imagine cot deaths, automatically assumed to be smothering.
Can it physically happen, can you actually shake a child to death.
In my mind the answer would be yes, but how severe is that.
Would the child have a broken neck, before a damaged brain.
A telling argument was mentioned, playground deaths.
Many are just little accidents, just the wrong bump on the head.
Why was there an assumption it’s shaking, other options exist.
The article is not gendered, both genders get prosecuted.
Interesting how this subject works in NZ, we have infanticide.
Comment by DJ Ward — Wed 26th March 2025 @ 7:46 pm