Dante Roberson - A Miscarriage of Justice
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For over 17 years, Dante’ “Taz” Roberson was a 1st call drummer for gigs of every genre in the Bay Area. He’s worked with artists such as The Whispers, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman, Kem, Emily King, Anthony David, India Arie, Marcus Johnson, Frank McComb, Envogue, Evelyn Champagne King, Trevor Wesley, El Debarge, Eric Benet, Joe, Najee, Phil Perry, Gerald Albright, Mariah Carey, Cameo, DL Hughley, and B.L.A.C.K.E.
In 2011, Dante Roberson’s 2 year-old son suffered severe burns to his hands while visiting his father. Dante was charged and convicted of felony child abuse and sentenced to 9 years in state prison. He has been in jail since January 2015.
Dante Roberson’s conviction was overturned on appeal last year but he has remained behind bars while the Alameda County DA decides whether to re-file the charges.
The prosecution’s theory was that Dante had intentionally submerged his 2-year old son’s hands in hot, scalding water. The medical evidence on how the burns occurred was inconclusive. The child himself said his father did not do it on 2 different occasions.
On the night the baby was admitted to the San Francisco burn unit, the doctor noted “patient corroborate[s] story, put his own hands in water.” The boy’s mother testified that she asked him that night what had happened, and he said he put his hands in hot water. She also asked him if daddy did it, and he said “no.”
Still, the Alameda County DA charged Dante and when Dante refused to plead guilty, the case went to trial.
At trial, the main witness for the prosecution was one of Dante’s older daughters referred to as “Doe.” During her preteen and teenage years, Doe and Dante had an “on and off” relationship, with frequent arguments and yelling. Testifying against her will under the threat of prosecution herself, the 22-year old daughter testified briefly about three incidents that took place roughly four to nine years before the baby was burned.
1. When she was 14 and spending the summer with Dante, Doe testified the two weren’t really getting along, and Dante got angry at her. Dante allegedly took her phone away and began yelling and screaming at her. Then he told her to get on the floor and do sit-ups, and when she refused he sat on top of her legs, “yelling and screaming” in her face, while she did sit-ups in tears.
2. Doe was also forced to testify that one time when she was nine or ten years old, she had “gotten in trouble” and Dante disciplined her by striking her a single time on her chest with a drumstick, leaving a bruise for about three days. She couldn’t recall why she got in trouble. She never told anyone except her mother about this incident.
3. Doe testified that another time she got in trouble, Dante gave her “a worst whopping,” leaving bruises on her legs and arms. She could not recall the circumstances or many details. She couldn’t remember how old she was, only that she had to have been in middle school. Nor could she remember how she became bruised, nor whether Dante had used his hands on her or an object.
The DA highlighted Doe’s testimony in closing argument, telling the jury Doe “was a very important witness,” and then describing her testimony and stressing she was to be believed. The DA encouraged the jury to speculate that someone who had disciplined his adolescent child in ways that did not cause her any lasting physical injuries would be inclined to inflict serious burns on his two-year old son.
There was no evidence presented of any reason why Dante would have hurt his son in this way.
The DA conceded on appeal that “it does not appear that any of the acts . . . against [Doe] rose to the level of a criminal offense. “The Court of Appeal agreed that none of the incidents were shown to be criminal, because they were so vaguely described at trial that there was no way for either the court or the jury to determine whether they were a reasonable form of parental discipline. The Court of Appeal reversed the verdict because the evidence used against Dante was too unreliable and should not have been admitted at trial.
Dante Roberson’s case is a classic miscarriage of justice. Black and Brown parents are more likely to be charged and prosecuted when accused of misconduct while raising our kids. At Dante’s original sentencing hearing in 2016, dozens of people sent letters to the Judge asking for probation, but they were all ignored. The DA asked for and received a heavy sentence.
The DA now has to decide whether taking 4-years of someone’s life for a crime he did not commit is enough of a miscarriage of justice. The Judge has now set bail for Dante at $100,000. After spending 4 years in state prison, Dante does not have $100,000, or even $10,000 to post bail. His Mom, Joyce, is having to raise this money to get Dante out of jail until the DA either dismisses the case or sets the case for trial.
Joyce needs help to make sure that Dante gets his day in court and a real shot at a fair trial the second time around. We need to raise this money as soon as possible to pay the bail bonds man.
In 2011, Dante Roberson’s 2 year-old son suffered severe burns to his hands while visiting his father. Dante was charged and convicted of felony child abuse and sentenced to 9 years in state prison. He has been in jail since January 2015.
Dante Roberson’s conviction was overturned on appeal last year but he has remained behind bars while the Alameda County DA decides whether to re-file the charges.
The prosecution’s theory was that Dante had intentionally submerged his 2-year old son’s hands in hot, scalding water. The medical evidence on how the burns occurred was inconclusive. The child himself said his father did not do it on 2 different occasions.
On the night the baby was admitted to the San Francisco burn unit, the doctor noted “patient corroborate[s] story, put his own hands in water.” The boy’s mother testified that she asked him that night what had happened, and he said he put his hands in hot water. She also asked him if daddy did it, and he said “no.”
Still, the Alameda County DA charged Dante and when Dante refused to plead guilty, the case went to trial.
At trial, the main witness for the prosecution was one of Dante’s older daughters referred to as “Doe.” During her preteen and teenage years, Doe and Dante had an “on and off” relationship, with frequent arguments and yelling. Testifying against her will under the threat of prosecution herself, the 22-year old daughter testified briefly about three incidents that took place roughly four to nine years before the baby was burned.
1. When she was 14 and spending the summer with Dante, Doe testified the two weren’t really getting along, and Dante got angry at her. Dante allegedly took her phone away and began yelling and screaming at her. Then he told her to get on the floor and do sit-ups, and when she refused he sat on top of her legs, “yelling and screaming” in her face, while she did sit-ups in tears.
2. Doe was also forced to testify that one time when she was nine or ten years old, she had “gotten in trouble” and Dante disciplined her by striking her a single time on her chest with a drumstick, leaving a bruise for about three days. She couldn’t recall why she got in trouble. She never told anyone except her mother about this incident.
3. Doe testified that another time she got in trouble, Dante gave her “a worst whopping,” leaving bruises on her legs and arms. She could not recall the circumstances or many details. She couldn’t remember how old she was, only that she had to have been in middle school. Nor could she remember how she became bruised, nor whether Dante had used his hands on her or an object.
The DA highlighted Doe’s testimony in closing argument, telling the jury Doe “was a very important witness,” and then describing her testimony and stressing she was to be believed. The DA encouraged the jury to speculate that someone who had disciplined his adolescent child in ways that did not cause her any lasting physical injuries would be inclined to inflict serious burns on his two-year old son.
There was no evidence presented of any reason why Dante would have hurt his son in this way.
The DA conceded on appeal that “it does not appear that any of the acts . . . against [Doe] rose to the level of a criminal offense. “The Court of Appeal agreed that none of the incidents were shown to be criminal, because they were so vaguely described at trial that there was no way for either the court or the jury to determine whether they were a reasonable form of parental discipline. The Court of Appeal reversed the verdict because the evidence used against Dante was too unreliable and should not have been admitted at trial.
Dante Roberson’s case is a classic miscarriage of justice. Black and Brown parents are more likely to be charged and prosecuted when accused of misconduct while raising our kids. At Dante’s original sentencing hearing in 2016, dozens of people sent letters to the Judge asking for probation, but they were all ignored. The DA asked for and received a heavy sentence.
The DA now has to decide whether taking 4-years of someone’s life for a crime he did not commit is enough of a miscarriage of justice. The Judge has now set bail for Dante at $100,000. After spending 4 years in state prison, Dante does not have $100,000, or even $10,000 to post bail. His Mom, Joyce, is having to raise this money to get Dante out of jail until the DA either dismisses the case or sets the case for trial.
Joyce needs help to make sure that Dante gets his day in court and a real shot at a fair trial the second time around. We need to raise this money as soon as possible to pay the bail bonds man.
Co-organizers (3)
Pamela Y. Price
Organizer
Oakland, CA
Joyce Roberson
Beneficiary
Pamela Owens
Co-organizer