In a case that has long stirred debate over justice and innocence, a Texas man who consistently proclaimed his innocence in a deadly robbery has been executed. The incident, which claimed the lives of two men nearly 20 years ago, reached its grim conclusion this week.
James Broadnax, 37, was administered a lethal injection at the Huntsville state penitentiary on Thursday evening at 6:47 p.m., as reported by The Associated Press. His final hours were marked by a desperate legal maneuver, as his attorneys sought a reprieve from the U.S. Supreme Court, which was ultimately denied.
In his last statement, Broadnax addressed the families of the victims, expressing a poignant plea for forgiveness. “I prayed to God for your forgiveness,” he said. “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.”
A photo of James Broadnax, provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, captures a moment of his time on death row, symbolizing the years of legal battles and appeals. The image, dated April 29, 2026, underscores the long shadow cast by his conviction.
The case against Broadnax centered on the 2008 murders of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler, who were shot outside Butler’s recording studio in a suburb of Dallas. The conviction and subsequent death sentence have been subjects of controversy, with Broadnax maintaining his innocence throughout the judicial process.
Broadnax was convicted and later condemned for the 2008 shooting deaths of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler outside Butler’s recording studio in suburban Dallas.
Prosecutors say Broadnax and his cousin, Demarius Cummings, killed the two men during an armed robbery in the studio’s parking lot.
The main entrance of the building housing the execution chamber at the Huntsville Unit of the Texas State Penitentiary is seen in Huntsville, Texas, on Oct. 17, 2024. (Michael Wyke/AP)
Cummings was subsequently sentenced to life without parole.
Prosecutors revealed Broadnax had previously confessed to the double-killing, telling reporters in interviews from his jail cell that he felt no remorse and, “I pulled the trigger.”
The Huntsville Unit prison is seen in Huntsville, Texas, on Sept. 14, 2024. (Francois Picard/AFP)
Throughout his trial, officials pointed to rap lyrics penned by Broadnax, in which he referenced robbing, killing and selling drugs – resulting in an appeal from Broadnax’s defense claiming his constitutional rights had been disregarded and prompting support from rappers Travis Scott and Killer Mike.
However, Broadnax’s attorneys hinged their final bid to save his life on Cummings recently admitting to being the one who pulled the trigger, while adding that their client’s rights had been violated during his trial after several potential jurors were eliminated on the basis of race.
“I’m really gonna tell it like it’s supposed to be told, that it was me, that I was the killer. I shot Matthew Bullard, Steve Swan,” Cummings said in a video released from prison created in an effort to halt Broadnax’s execution.
The defense also claimed prosecutors in Broadnax’s trial zeroed in on all seven Black jurors in the case, “utilizing a spreadsheet during jury selection that bolded only the names of every Black juror,” according to court documents. One Black juror was eventually reinstated.
Theresa Butler, Matthew Butler’s mother, remained defiant in asking that the execution of her son’s killer go through as planned.
“This so-called confession from Cummings is just a stall tactic by Broadnax’s desperate defense team. It’s all a lie,” Theresa Butler wrote in a social media post.
Broadnax was the 10th person to be executed this year in the country and the third in the state of Texas.
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office and Broadnax’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
