‘Jimmy’ Robertson’s lawyers want mental evaluation before convicted killer can be executed
Rock Hill’s James “Jimmy” Robertson has already asked a judge to drop his appeal and fire his lawyers, even if it means he will be executed after he was convicted 26 years ago of killing his parents.
But Robertson’s lawyers say they need another 120 days to assess the South Carolina death row inmate’s mental competency about his recent decision to fire them and then die by electric chair, firing squad or lethal injection.
A federal stay of execution has been in place for 14 years as appeals rolled on. But earlier this month, Robertson told U.S. District Court Chief Judge Timothy Cain he wants to drop the appeal, even if his lawyers won’t help him do it.
Defense lawyers Emily Paavola and Teresa Norris claimed in a court filing late Wednesday to Cain that Robertson has not taken depression medication for three years.
His best friend on death row, Marion Bowman, was executed in January. The lawyers say Robertson, 51, has known the five others who died by lethal injection and firing squad in South Carolina since late 2024 “half his life.”
Robertson was sent to death row at age 24 for using a knife, hammer and baseball bat to kill his parents, Terry and Earl Robertson, at their Rock Hill home in 1997.
The lawyers say Robertson has a history of mental illness and “suicidal thoughts,” although he was competent to stand trial in 1999. Robertson, known as Jimmy, wanted to get more than $2 million of his parents’ money, prosecutors said during his 1999 trial.
The lawyers said Robertson should be evaluated by their retained doctors to see if he knows that he will be executed if he drop the federal appeal and fires his lawyers.
“These experts will assess whether Robertson has the mental capacity to make a voluntary, knowing and intelligent choice to waive his right to counsel, whether he is capable of carrying out the tasks required to litigate his petition, and whether he has capacity to appreciate his position and make a rational choice with respect to continuing or abandoning further litigation or on the other hand whether he is suffering from a mental disease, disorder, or defect which may substantially affect his capacity in the premises,” the motion states.
Robertson’s history
On March 12, the S.C. Supreme Court denied Robertson’s request to hear a state appeal that had been going on for years. The federal stay of execution order has been in place since 2011 because of the state appeal. But that state case is over.
Earlier this month, Robertson sent a letter to Cain that said he wanted to represent himself and had the capability to decide for himself.
“I am being advised that despite my right and the competency to decide what is best for me, no ethical attorney will withdraw an appeal that will result in their client’s execution,” Robertson wrote. “Since none of my attorneys agree with my decision, I am not receiving any assistance in how best to go about this.
“This may not be the best or most efficient course of action but I am requesting that you relieve my attorneys and allow me to proceed pro se,” he wrote.
Pro se means someone wants to be their own lawyer.
Prosecutors from the S.C. Attorney General’s Office already have said in court documents the stay of execution should be lifted, but they have a week to respond to Robertson’s lawyers request, court records show.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
