Steven Nelson, a 37-year-old man convicted of murdering North Texas pastor Clint Dobson, is scheduled for execution on Wednesday, despite appeals for a life sentence from activists. Nelson's case has seen numerous delays and legal challenges, but the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied a stay of execution. Two activists delivered a petition with 11,000 signatures to Governor Greg Abbott urging him to intervene, but the execution remains scheduled.
A man convicted of murdering a North Texas pastor is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday evening in Huntsville. Steven Nelson , 37, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2012 for the 2011 murder of Clint Dobson at NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington. Prosecutors alleged that Nelson suffocated the young pastor by placing a plastic bag over his head while he was writing a sermon in his office. Nelson also severely beat the church's secretary before fleeing in her car.
He was apprehended after going on a spending spree using the victims' stolen credit cards. Forensic evidence linked Nelson to the crime: blood from both victims was found on a pair of his shoes, and studs from his belt were discovered at the church. During his trial, jurors unanimously determined that Nelson posed a significant threat to society and deserved the death penalty. 'It is hard for me to fathom that you did what you did for a car and a laptop and a phone,' Dobson's father-in-law, Phillip Rozeman, stated after the sentencing. 'The world is going to miss a leader. It's sad to know all the people that won't be helped because Clint is not here.' The murder occurred three days after Nelson's release from a court-ordered anger-management program as part of a plea deal with Dallas County prosecutors following his arrest for aggravated assault against his girlfriend. He had a prior criminal history, including a two-year prison sentence for theft and numerous juvenile offenses. After his sentencing, Nelson was accused of violently breaking a sprinkler head in his holding cell, causing a courtroom flood. While awaiting trial, he was indicted for the killing of another jail inmate, but was never tried on that charge after his conviction and death sentence.Nelson's execution has been delayed previously. He was originally scheduled to die by lethal injection in October but prosecutors requested a postponement until February. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Nelson's lawyers sought additional time to construct arguments regarding the sentencing. Nelson's attorneys appealed based on claims of inadequate legal representation during his trial and sentencing, arguing that his lawyers failed to effectively challenge the alibis of other suspects or present mitigating evidence about his troubled childhood in Oklahoma and Texas. These appeals were denied by both state and federal courts, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a stay of execution on January 28. This week, Nelson's attorneys appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and halt his execution, requesting more time to challenge his conviction. Two activists, Pastor Jeff Hood and Rev. Katheryn Barlow-Williams, delivered a petition with 11,000 signatures to the Governor's Reception Room on Tuesday, urging Governor Greg Abbott to stop the execution. 'I think that probably what is appropriate is that he should spend, and he should get a life sentence, and spend most of the rest of his life behind bars,' stated Pastor Hood. 'Do not avenge the death of the victim of Steven Nelson on the behalf of all pastors, because by far, I think the vast majority of us do not support the death penalty,' added Rev. Barlow-Williams. If carried out, Nelson's execution would be Texas' first in 2025. There are currently three other executions scheduled for this year. Convicted murderer Richard Tabler is scheduled for February 13, serial killer David Wood on March 13, and Moises Mendoza, convicted of strangling a 20-year-old, on April 23. Five men were executed in Texas in 2024. Nelson's execution would follow the delay of fellow death row inmate Robert Roberson's execution at the last minute. Roberson was scheduled to be executed in October 2024 but the Texas Supreme Court paused his execution after a subpoena from a Texas House committee. The Supreme Court has since cleared the way for Roberson's execution, but a new date has not been set. Roberson, 58, was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in Palestine, Texas in 2002. His attorneys have challenged the medical diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome attributed to the child's death, calling it 'junk science.
EXECUTION DEATH ROW TEXAS STEVEN NELSON CLINT DOBSON ACTIVISTS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
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