By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-10-18 11:48:48
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2024 年 10 月 15 日星期二，在迈阿密举行的 NBA 季前赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在上半场对球员们讲话。 (美联社照片/威尔弗雷多·李)
马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇对德克萨斯州最高法院周四晚些时候决定暂停对一名原定被处决的自闭症男子的死刑表示赞赏。
在距离罗伯特·罗伯森(Robert Roberson)被处决还有几个小时的时候，法院应德克萨斯州众议院委员会的一项特殊行动，批准了暂缓执行死刑的请求。
该委员会由民主党人和共和党人组成，他们传唤了现年 57 岁的罗伯森在小组面前作证，此举是为了推迟对他进行的注射死刑。
罗伯森于 2002 年因杀害其两岁女儿而被定罪。他原本将成为美国第一个因与婴儿摇晃综合症相关的谋杀罪名成立而被处决的人。
近年来，婴儿摇晃综合症背后的医学科学受到专家们的广泛质疑，德克萨斯州众议院委员会一直在推动对罗伯森进行新的审判。
布莱恩·沃顿(Brian Wharton)是调查德克萨斯州东部巴勒斯坦镇柯蒂斯之死的首席侦探，他也表示罗伯森是无辜的。
周四早些时候，美国最高法院拒绝停止对罗伯森的预定处决，州长格雷格·阿博特(Greg Abbott)也拒绝批准 30 天的缓刑，这促使德克萨斯州立法机关介入。
“有这么多证据，无论是调查此案的人现在说他认为自己错了……这些都是非常重要的事情，”波波维奇在马刺队与休斯顿队的季前赛前说。“如果你是州长阿博特，这还不足以让你三思而后行吗？”
波波维奇是“清白项目”的长期支持者，该项目是一个致力于为被错误定罪的死囚犯洗清罪名的公共政策组织。“清白项目”作为罗伯森法律团队的一员参与了他的案件。
周四的裁决并没有给此案画上句号。
德克萨斯州检察长办公室将对法官的命令向该州最高刑事法院提出上诉，该法院此前曾驳回罗伯森的上诉。
“希望在下周，更合乎逻辑和人道主义的思想也能占上风，”波波维奇说。“如果有这么多疑点，似乎暂停一下，重新审视一下是理所当然的。你不需要是个天才就能明白这一点。为什么你不这样做，我无法理解。”
麦克德莫特的新工作让马刺队兴奋不已
马刺队更衣室里的许多人都对他们的老朋友道格·麦克德莫特(Doug McDermott)上周找到新工作的消息感到高兴。
这位前马刺队前锋一直无人问津，直到周三与萨克拉门托国王队签署了一份为期一年的老将底薪合同。
“我们为他感到高兴，”波波维奇说。“他是一位很棒的队友。”
32 岁的麦克德莫特在马刺队效力了两个赛季，然后在 2 月的交易截止日期前被交易到印第安纳步行者队。
马刺队在麦克德莫特与国王队签约的过程中发挥了作用。
本周早些时候，马刺队与国王队进行了一笔交易，换来了前锋杰伦·麦克丹尼尔斯(Jalen McDaniels)，后者立即被裁掉。马刺队在这笔交易中获得了 2031 年的二轮选秀权，而国王队则腾出了签约球员所需的阵容空间。
那个球员就是麦克德莫特。
“这是显而易见的，”马刺队中锋扎克·柯林斯(Zach Collins)说，他像麦克德莫特一样在 2021 年夏天加入了圣安东尼奥。“任何需要一个伟大的队友，并且每晚都做好自己该做的事情的人——我很高兴有人签下了他，但这并不奇怪。你找不到比他更好的人了。”
巴恩斯对糟糕的季前赛不以为然
老将前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)表示，尽管他的季前赛表现不佳，但他已经为常规赛的开始做好了准备。
32 岁的巴恩斯参加了马刺队全部五场季前赛，场均得到 7.6 分和 3.4 个篮板。他在每场比赛中都担任大前锋，但投篮命中率只有 36.7%。
巴恩斯说，在休赛期被萨克拉门托国王队交易过来后，他仍在寻找感觉。
“这有点像是一种转变，但我的身体感觉很好，”巴恩斯说。
巴恩斯是一位征战了 12 个赛季的老将，他说，他很幸运能够获得适应新赛季的机会。
“我很感谢这次经历，”巴恩斯说。“很多年轻球员在季前赛中都在寻找自己的方向。对我来说，我只是想和其他球员协调一致，并获得一些熟悉感。” r
德克萨斯州众议员莱西·赫尔（左）和约翰·巴斯三世在德克萨斯州最高法院批准暂缓执行罗伯特·罗伯森死刑后，于 2024 年 10 月 17 日星期四在德克萨斯州亨茨维尔的德克萨斯州立监狱亨茨维尔分部举行的新闻发布会上发表评论。
2024 年 10 月 17 日星期四，在德克萨斯州亨茨维尔的德克萨斯州立监狱亨茨维尔分部外，反死刑活动人士格洛丽亚·鲁巴克（左）在抗议罗伯特·罗伯森预定被处决的监狱外发表讲话。
文件照片 - 2024 年 9 月 27 日，德克萨斯州议员在德克萨斯州利文斯顿的一所监狱会见了罗伯特·罗伯森。（刑事司法改革核心小组通过美联社提供，文件照片）
德克萨斯州休斯顿 - 10 月 17 日：2024 年 10 月 17 日，在德克萨斯州休斯顿丰田中心举行的季前赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在对阵休斯顿火箭队的比赛中观战。
2024 年 10 月 17 日星期四，在休斯顿丰田中心举行的 NBA 篮球比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇。
点击查看原文：Popovich applauds court decision to halt execution of Robert Roberson
Popovich applauds court decision to halt execution of Robert Roberson
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich calls out to players during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Miami Heat, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich cheered the Texas Supreme Court’s decision late Thursday night to pause the execution of an autistic man who was scheduled to be put to death.
With hours to spare before Robert Roberson was set to be put to death, the court granted a temporary reprieve in response to an extraordinary action by a Texas House committee.
The committee, comprised of both Democrats and Republicans, subpoenaed the 57-year-old Roberson to testify before the panel, a move made in hopes of delaying his scheduled lethal injection.
Roberson was convicted in 2002 in the death of his 2-year-old daughter. He was scheduled to become the first person in the United States to be executed for a murder conviction linked to a case of shaken baby syndrome.
The Texas House committee has pushed for Roberson to receive a new trial, as the medical science behind shaken baby syndrome has been widely questioned by experts in recent years.
Brian Wharton, the lead detective that investigated Curtis’ death in the East Texas town of Palestine has also said Roberson is innocent.
Earlier Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt Roberson’s scheduled execution, and Gov. Greg Abbott refused to grant a 30-day stay, leading the Texas legislature to step in.
“There’s so much evidence, whether you look at the person who investigated the case now says he thinks he was wrong … that’s pretty huge stuff,” Popovich said before the Spurs’ preseason game in Houston. “Wasn’t that enough to give pause if you’re Gov. Abbott?”
Popovich is a longtime supporter of the Innocence Project, a public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongly convicted individuals on death row. The Innocence Project has been involved in Roberson’s case as part of his legal team.
Thurday’s ruling did not put an end to the case.
The Texas Office of the Attorney General would appeal the judge’s order to the state’s highest criminal court, which has previously denied Roberson’s appeals.
“Hopefully more logical and humanistic minds will prevail next week also,” Popovich said. “If there is that much there, it seems like it’s a no-brainer to take a pause and look at it again. You don’t have to be a genius to figure that out. Why you wouldn’t is beyond my comprehension.”
McDermott’s new gig thrills Spurs
Many in the Spurs locker room were heartened by the news their old friend Doug McDermott got a new job last week.
The former Spurs forward had been languishing on the free-agent pile until signing a one-year veteran minimum deal with Sacramento on Wednesday.
“We’re happy for him,” Popovich said. “He was a great teammate.”
McDermott, 32, played parts of two seasons with the Spurs before being dealt to Indiana at the trade deadline in February.
The Spurs played a role in McDermott getting a contract in Sacramento.
Earlier in the week, the Spurs swung a trade with the Kings for forward Jalen McDaniels, who was immediately waived. The Spurs received a 2031 second-round pick in the deal, while the Kings created a roster space needed to sign a player.
That player turned out to be McDermott.
“It’s a no-brainer,” said Spurs center Zach Collins, who like McDermott joined San Antonio in the summer of 2021. “Anybody that needs somebody who is a great teammate and just does what needs to be done every night – I’m happy somebody picked him up, but not surprised. You can’t find a better guy.”
Barnes shrugs off tough preseason
Veteran forward Harrison Barnes says he is ready for the start of the regular season despite what has been something of a rough preseason for him.
The 32-year-old Barnes played in all five of the Spurs’ preseason contests, averaging 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds. He has hit only 36.7% of his field goals while starting each game at the power forward slot.
Barnes says he is still feeling his way after arriving in an offseason trade with Sacramento.
“It’s been somewhat of a transition, but body-wise I feel good,” Barnes said.
A 12-year veteran, Barnes said he is fortunate to be given the rope to ease his way into the new season.
“I’m grateful for the experience,” Barnes said. “A lot of young guys are finding their way in the preseason. For me, I’m just trying to get in tune with the other players and gain some familiarity.” r
Texas state representatives Lacey Hull, left, and John Bucy III comment during a press conference after the stay granted by the Texas Supreme Court to halt the execution of Robert Roberson, at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas State Penitentiary, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Huntsville, Texas.
Gloria Rubac, left, an anti-death penalty activist, speaks during a protest outside the prison where Robert Roberson is scheduled for execution at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas State Penitentiary, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Huntsville, Texas.
FILE - Texas lawmakers meet with Robert Roberson at a prison in Livingston, Texas, Sept. 27, 2024. (Criminal Justice Reform Caucus via AP, File)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the second half of a preseason game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on October 17, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Houston.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News