‘Psychopath test’ under growing scrutiny as Texas prepares to execute man

Experts say checklist devised in 1970s that helped convict Robert Roberson pushing juries into harsher punishments

Robert Roberson faces execution in Texas on 16 October for the 2002 murder of his young daughter Nikki Curtis. For years, a growing pool of supporters – from the lead detective in his case to Dr Phil – have argued Roberson is innocent. They say doctors and prosecutors blamed him for Nikki’s death through a faulty diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.

But that was not the only diagnosis that sent Roberson to death row. After he was found guilty, a psychologist named Thomas Allen interviewed him using the Psychopathy Checklist-revised. Sometimes called the “psychopath test”, it measures traits such as a person’s impulsivity and lack of remorse. Allen gave Roberson a high score, told the jury he was a psychopath, and compared him to Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein. The implication was that Roberson would continue to be dangerous, although Allen said the risk was much smaller if he were in prison.

This article was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletters, and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and Facebook.