READ HERE: On Oct. 21, Robert Roberson was scheduled to do what no death row inmate has ever done. He was supposed to give testimony before a committee of the Texas Legislature that is investigating his case.

This would have been a remarkable moment in death penalty history. It would have offered hope for Roberson himself. It also would have marked a moment when the humanity of someone convicted of a capital crime was recognized by treating them as a credible witness in a public proceeding.

That explains why officials in Texas, led by Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, have stepped in to prevent Roberson from testifying. As Paxton said on Wednesday: “A few legislators have grossly interfered with the justice system by disregarding the separation of powers outlined in the State Constitution. They have created a Constitutional crisis on behalf of a man who beat his two-year-old daughter to death.”

Abbott, Paxton and their allies are determined to see Roberson be executed and in doing so silence his voice. They should not be allowed to get away with their plan.