Paxton pressures State Rep. Jeff Leach to resign over texts sent to judge in Roberson case
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is calling on Plano Republican State Representative Jeff Leach to resign over text messages he sent to an appellate court judge about the Robert Roberson case.
In the texts, Leach reportedly asked the judge to reconsider Roberson's case, whose execution has now been postponed.
The judge reported Leach's text and didn't engage, ultimately voting with the majority to reject Roberson's appeals.
In the end, the appeals court vote didn't matter as Leach's House committee subpoenaed Roberson.
Roberson was convicted more than two decades ago for the death of his 2-year-old daughter by shaken baby syndrome, which his attorneys now argue is junk science, claiming Roberson's daughter was chronically sick before she died.
In a post on X, Leach admitted to sending the improper texts to the judge, writing in part:
"I'm not afraid to admit when I mess up … and that's exactly what I did when I sent a text message to my friend, Judge Michelle Slaughter, asking her to reconsider the case of Robert Roberson.
I am fiercely committed to the rule of law and to strengthening our system of justice. This is why I'm so passionate about the case of [Robert Roberson] — because I believe so strongly the system has failed him. And that's why I sent that message to Judge Slaughter.
As I said in my message to her, I'm not an attorney or a party to the case … nor was I aware of any pending dispute before the Court of Criminal Appeals. Thus, I thought I was in the clear. But, clearly, I was wrong. Judge Slaughter handled it perfectly and professionally - as any Judge should do. And I apologize to her and to the Court."
According to state rules, lawyers are not allowed to attempt to influence the court about issues before that court.
Leach is an attorney and serves as chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, a seat that Paxton wants him out of. Leach also served as an impeachment manager against Paxton last year and urged Texas Senators to convict him during the closing arguments of the trial.
The Attorney General also said he's making a criminal referral against Leach.