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37-year-old James Broadnax was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas on Friday, despite last-minute appeals, public support from rappers and legal experts, and a new confession from his cousin.
Broadnax was sentenced to death for a 2008 double killing ioutside a studio in Dallas, but his case drew national attention in part due to rap lyrics he wrote as a teenager being mentioned by the prosecution during his sentencing.
In March, his cousin, Demarius Cummings (who is serving life in prison) claimed responsibility for the murders and said Broadnax took the fall because he had a cleaner record. Broadnax’s legal team pushed that confession all the way to the Supreme Court, while also challenging the role of rap lyrics and alleged racial bias in his trial.
Several artists, including Texas natives Killer Mike and Travis Scott, publicly backed efforts to stop the execution, arguing that creative expression should never be used as evidence of criminal intent.
The Supreme Court denied the appeals this week, citing Broadnax’s original confession and prior rulings that rejected claims of jury prejudice. His execution has reignited debate over the justice system’s treatment of rap music in courtrooms, and the weight lyrics hold in deciding a rapper’s fate.
