The order was a stunning 11th-hour victory for Roberson and for the state lawmakers who opposed his execution, turning to novel legal maneuvers in an effort to buy him more time. The stay arrived in response to a separation-of-powers conflict touched off by a group of Texas lawmakers when they subpoenaed Roberson the night before he was set to be put to death.

Texas' highest criminal court overturned a lower court's ruling Thursday to temporarily halt Robert Roberson's execution, putting his fate in limbo.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously denied Robert Roberson’s request for clemency, one day out from his scheduled execution. If he is executed in Huntsville on Thursday, Roberson will be the first person in the nation to be executed in a shaken baby syndrome case.