Robert Roberson, who faces execution in Texas on Oct. 17, is the latest death row prisoner to see a glossy campaign to save his life. He was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis in 2002 on a theory of “shaken baby syndrome.” A growing chorus, from the lead detective in his case to novelist John Grisham, is arguing that he is innocent and Curtis’ death, while a tragedy, was not a crime. He’d be the first person ever executed based on shaken baby syndrome, even as the diagnosis faces growing scrutiny in the courts. But another fact about Roberson deserves more attention to make sense of his story — his diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and the way autistic people often experience prison.

From the moment he showed up at the hospital with his daughter turning blue, his case reveals the ways the criminal justice system can fail people with diagnoses like autism. Roberson’s execution has been scheduled amid a wave of attention to this subject from researchers, journalists, and support organizations, who offer guides for autistic people and their parents on how to interact with police.

My colleagues have reported on how autistic people experience prison, for example, as well as encounters with police, which can turn deadly when officers misinterpret their behavior as suspicious. Some lawmakers are trying to reduce the risk of escalation and tragedy. For example, when looking up a license plate, Texas police may now see an alert indicating that a driver may have difficulty communicating.

But Roberson’s case shows what can happen even before the police get involved. When he took his unconscious daughter to an emergency room in the small east Texas city of Palestine, in 2002, a nurse found it strange that he’d gotten her dressed before leaving their house, according to court records. Later, as he showed detectives around his kitchen, he paused to make a sandwich. Former homicide Detective Brian Wharton recalled finding Roberson’s affect disconcerting, saying, “He’s not getting mad, he’s not getting sad, he’s just not right.”

Read the full article about how autistic people experience prison by Maurice Chammah at The Marshall Project.