A Texas appeals court on Thursday halted the scheduled execution of an autistic man convicted in a problematic "shaken baby" case.

Robert Roberson, 58, had been scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection next week for the 2002 death of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted a stay of execution to Roberson so a lower court can consider a challenge to his conviction and the evidence of shaken baby syndrome.

Gretchen Sween, Roberson's attorney, welcomed the decision, which comes after another Texas man convicted in a shaken baby case was exonerated.

"We are confident that an objective review of the science and medical evidence will show there was no crime," Sween said in a statement.

A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers has urged clemency for

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