Demanding to have a say on when and how his life will end, a South Carolina death row inmate is choosing to take matters into his own hands.
James Robertson has requested to represent himself and face his execution after watching five friends meet their fate.
Robertson has been on death row since 1999 for the murder of his parents, a crime motivated by his desire to inherit their estate.
After witnessing the executions of five fellow inmates in a single year, including his best friend Marion Bowman Jr. in January, Robertson has decided to drop his appeals and speed up his own execution.
Federal Judge Mary Gordon Baker delayed Robertson’s request for 45 days to ensure he fully understands the consequences of his decision.
This is not Robertson’s first attempt to drop his appeals. He previously tried in the early 2000s, expressing a preference for execution over spending life in prison.
Robertson’s current attorney, Emily Paavola, argues that he is not mentally competent due to depression and other health issues.
Judge Baker has appointed a different lawyer to assess Robertson’s understanding of his decision.
This follows a pattern where defense attorneys often claim mental incompetence to extend their clients’ lives through endless appeals.
Robertson expressed:
“It hasn’t changed my view. What it did was it made me understand—enhanced reality a bit—to see my best friend go from one day playing cards with me to the next day not being here anymore. He basically has taken a similar route that I’m choosing to take now, and we spoke often about his decision.”
Tommy Pope, the prosecutor who originally handled Robertson’s case, described him as intelligent and manipulative, often believing he is smarter than his attorneys.
Pope also acknowledged the reasoning behind some inmates’ decisions to stop fighting their sentences.
“If you told me — be incarcerated on death row the rest of your life or just go ahead and go to the Lord, you know, I might choose the latter too,” he argued.
Robertson has expressed frustration with his legal representation, stating, “No ethical attorney will withdraw an appeal that will result in their client’s execution.”
The concept of “volunteers” in death penalty cases refers to inmates who choose execution over prolonged appeals.
While liberal activists often claim these decisions are solely linked to mental illness, Robertson’s case demonstrates that some inmates make this choice with clear understanding of their situation and a desire to accept the consequences of their actions.
The rate of such volunteers has decreased over the years, with only a small percentage of recent executions involving inmates who dropped appeals.
This reflects a justice system increasingly bogged down by endless appeals and activist interference that delays justice for victims’ families for decades.
