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Texas plans to execute Robert Sparks tomorrow. There were problems at his trial. An “expert” witness offered false testimony and misled jurors. The courtroom bailiff wore a tie with a syringe on it while the jury was considering the possibility of execution by lethal injection.
The prosecution called an “expert” witness to testify that Robert Sparks would be a future danger if he received a life sentence. In Texas, the jury must find that a person poses a “future danger” before the death penalty becomes a sentencing option.
The “expert” witness testified that Robert Sparks would automatically be placed at a less restrictive prison classification level if he received a life sentence. That was false. Prison classifications are always determined on an individual, case-by-case basis.
The misleading testimony played an important role in the jury’s deliberations. They sent the judge a note asking for a transcript. This wasn’t the only death penalty case where this “expert” misled a jury. A Texas appeals court later condemned his false testimony in other cases.
What about the bailiff? He wore a tie with a syringe on it in the courtroom while the jury was considering the possibility of execution by lethal injection. Does that sound like a coincidence to you? It’s unseemly and suggests bias at minimum.
The courts have so far refused to consider any legal claims about the bailiff’s syringe-emblazoned tie because there’s supposedly not enough evidence that the tie had an impact on the jury’s decision to impose a sentence of death by lethal injection.
Robert Sparks has a long, documented history of serious mental illness. He was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder and has experienced delusions for many years. Mental illness almost certainly played a major role in the crimes that landed Robert on death row.
How can anyone feel confident that Robert Sparks got a fair trial? An “expert” witness misled the jury with false testimony. A bailiff sat in the courtroom wearing a tie with a syringe on it while the jury was considering whether Robert should be executed by lethal injection.
Here’s a photo of the bailiff’s homemade syringe-emblazoned tie. The bailiff was sitting directly behind Robert Sparks and within the sight of jurors while wearing the tie. 
Another view of the bailiff’s homemade syringe-emblazoned tie. This must have stuck out like a sore thumb in the courtroom. Jurors almost certainly saw it.
