The Brief
- Texas inmate James Broadnax has been executed by lethal injection for the 2008 murders of two men in Garland.
- The U.S. Supreme Court and Texas appeals courts rejected stays despite a recent claim from Broadnax’s cousin that he, not Broadnax, was the shooter.
- Authorities moved forward because Broadnax previously confessed to the killings and has never personally recanted his statement.
DALLAS – Texas death row inmate James Broadnax was executed on Thursday night for a double murder in Garland in 2008.
He was pronounced deceased at 6:47 p.m.
James Broadnax’s Last Statement
“To the family I prayed for years that any of my choices would create heaviness in your heart and burdens on your spirits. I prayed to God for your forgiveness. Despite what you think about me, I hope to God that prayer was answered. But no matter what you think about me, Texas got it wrong. I’m innocent, the facts of my case should speak for itself period. Let this moment be what finally sparks the revolution that will be televised, none of it was worth it. Queen Emmit, I love you, my promise still stands, it always will. Keep fighting, stay strong, keep God first, never stop believing. I love you forever and a day. I love you Queen. Peace, love, and light, that’s what I stand for. God bless everybody.”
Statement From James Broadnax’s Legal Team & Wife
“James Broadnax was executed today by the State of Texas after more than 17 years on death row for the 2008 murders of two young men, Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler. He was a beloved husband, friend, and mentor, and will be missed by those who had the privilege of knowing him.
James was a teenager with no meaningful criminal record on June 19, 2008 when he decided to get high on PCP with his cousin Demarius Cummings, who came up with the idea to rob two young men in a parking lot in Garland, Texas. In the course of the robbery, Demarius shot and killed Mr. Swan and Mr. Butler. After James’s arrest, three local Dallas news stations were inexplicably allowed to access and interview him while he was still high, and James confessed to the shootings in a misguided attempt to protect his cousin, who had a more serious rap sheet. Those interviews became the foundation of the State’s case against James at trial. The State’s trial strategy was deeply problematic. The Dallas DA’s Office struck every single Black juror who was eligible to serve in James’s case, keeping careful notes of each juror’s race, and then made arguments at trial referring to racial stereotypes that they believed would appeal to their chosen jury, referring to James’s rap lyrics as evidence of a propensity for future dangerousness, and describing him as a “psychopath” and as similar to a predator from “Animal Planet.”…