Texas Man Executed for 2008 Double Murder

A man from Texas who maintained his innocence in connection with a deadly robbery that occurred almost two decades ago was executed this week.

James Broadnax, aged 37, was put to death by lethal injection on Thursday at the state prison in Huntsville, with officials reporting the execution at 6:47 p.m.

This execution took place just hours after the Supreme Court turned down a last-minute plea from Broadnax’s legal team to halt the process.

In his final words, Broadnax addressed the families of the victims, saying, “I prayed to God for forgiveness. No matter what you think about me, I hope to God my prayers were answered. But the state of Texas was wrong. I’m innocent, and the facts of my case should speak for themselves.”

Broadnax was found guilty and sentenced in connection with the 2008 shooting deaths of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler, which occurred outside Butler’s recording studio in a Dallas suburb.

Prosecutors alleged that both Broadnax and his cousin, Demaryius Cummings, were involved in an armed robbery that resulted in the two fatalities.

Cummings is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

During the trial, prosecutors pointed to a prior confession by Broadnax and his admission of pulling the trigger. He even expressed a lack of remorse in an interview while incarcerated.

There was a significant focus on rap lyrics penned by Broadnax, as they referenced themes of robbery and murder. This sparked an appeal from his defense team, which received backing from some well-known rappers, arguing that his constitutional rights were overlooked.

The defense claimed that an essential part of their case relied on Cummings’ recent statement admitting he was the shooter, suggesting that Broadnax’s rights had been violated when potential jurors were excluded based on race.

In a video released from prison, Cummings claimed, “I’m really going to tell it the way it should be told, that it was me, that I was the murderer. I shot Matthew Butler and Steve Swan,” in an effort to halt Broadnax’s execution.

Defense attorneys also contended that prosecutors used a selective approach during jury selection that unfairly targeted Black jurors. Court documents revealed that one Black juror was ultimately reinstated.

Teresa Butler, the mother of Matthew Butler, remained resolute in her stance, insisting on executing Broadnax as planned. She dismissed Cummings’ confession as a delay tactic, expressing her disbelief in a social media post.

This marked the 10th execution in the U.S. this year and the third in Texas alone.

The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office and Broadnax’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comments.