10 September 2017 :

Visiting Judge Michael Wilkerson sentenced Robert James Campbell to life in prison. Campbell's death sentence reduced to life in prison after he was declared intellectually disabled. Before he was sentenced, Campbell apologized to the family and wished them peace. Campbell, now 44, Black, was convicted in 1992 of capital murder in the death of Alejandra Rendon, 20, a bank teller he abducted while she was pumping gas. He spent 25 years on death row, survived an execution day, and is now eligible for parole after mental health professionals determined he is too disabled to be executed, prosecutors said Tuesday. The U.S. Supreme Court recently outlawed the execution of mentally disabled people, sending Campbell's case back to Harris County for evaluation. A prosecution expert declared him mentally disabled. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said the law in 1991 did not allow for the option of life without parole, so he will be eligible for parole. "Times have changed when it comes to people with mental disabilities," Ogg said. "It was with a heavy heart that our expert came back and agreed with the defense that Campbell is intellectually disabled so we were forced to withdraw our plan to seek the death penalty."