Trending Now - Texas Execution Proceeds Despite Cousin's Confession of Guilt

WHO:

CNN - Broadnax expressed remorse in his final statement, saying, "I wish I could show them my soul, so they could see just how sorry I am. I am very much remorseful for everything that happened."

Fox News - Broadnax stated in his final remarks, "I prayed to God for your forgiveness... 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."

CNN - Demarius Cummings stated in a video, "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."

CNN - Theresa Butler, Matthew Butler’s mother, described Cummings' confession as "just a stall tactic by Broadnax’s desperate defense team. It's all a lie."

CNN - James Broadnax, 37, was executed.

CNN - Demarius Cummings, Broadnax's cousin, was sentenced to life without parole.

CNN - Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler were the victims of the fatal robbery.

Fox News - Theresa Butler, Matthew Butler’s mother, expressed her support for the execution.

WHAT:

ABC News - Broadnax was the third person put to death in Texas in 2026 and the 10th in the U.S. this year.

ABC News - The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Broadnax’s request for a 180-day reprieve or to commute his death sentence just days before his execution.

CNN - Broadnax was executed just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-minute request from his attorneys to spare his life.

Fox News - Broadnax was the 10th person executed in the U.S. in 2026.

ABC News - The execution of Broadnax followed the execution of James Ernest Hitchcock in Florida, who was put to death for a crime committed nearly 50 years ago.

CNN - Broadnax's attorneys claimed that Cummings' confession is "corroborated by the fact that his DNA, and not Mr. Broadnax’s, was found on the murder weapon and in the pocket of one of the victims."

CNN - The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Broadnax’s request for a 180-day reprieve or to commute his death sentence.

CNN - Broadnax was executed by lethal injection.

CNN - Broadnax was pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m.

Fox News - Broadnax maintained his innocence during his final statement, claiming, "Texas got it wrong."

CNN - Broadnax was the third person executed in Texas this year and the 10th in the country.

WHERE:

CNN - The execution took place at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, approximately 70 miles north of Houston.

Fox News - The shooting occurred outside Butler’s recording studio in Garland, Texas.

WHEN:

CNN - The execution occurred on a Thursday evening.

CNN - Broadnax was condemned for the 2008 shooting deaths.

WHY:

CNN - The Texas Attorney General’s Office stated that Broadnax's claims regarding the targeting of Black jurors were "entirely meritless" and that the jurors were dismissed based on their responses during questioning.

CNN - The Texas Attorney General’s Office described Cummings’ confession as “questionable new evidence” in court documents.

CNN - Broadnax's defense argued that prosecutors utilized a spreadsheet during jury selection that bolded only the names of every Black juror, alleging racial discrimination.

CNN - Broadnax's attorneys argued that his constitutional rights were violated during his trial, particularly regarding the exclusion of Black jurors.

CNN - Prosecutors claimed Broadnax confessed to the shooting, stating, "I pulled the trigger," and felt no remorse.

HOW:

CNN - Broadnax's defense claimed that prosecutors used a spreadsheet during jury selection that highlighted the names of every Black juror, alleging racial discrimination.

CNN - Broadnax's attorneys argued that prosecutors had violated his constitutional rights by using rap lyrics to portray him as violent, which led to support from A-list rappers including Travis Scott and Killer Mike.

CNN - The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Broadnax’s appeal regarding the use of rap lyrics during his trial, which his attorneys claimed violated his constitutional rights.

CNN - Broadnax's execution followed a denial from the U.S. Supreme Court to stop it.

CNN - Broadnax's defense claimed that Cummings' confession was corroborated by DNA evidence found on the murder weapon.

Fox News - Broadnax's defense highlighted that prosecutors used rap lyrics to portray him as violent during the trial.

(UPDATED May 2, 2026 09:16 UTC)

In a poignant final statement, Broadnax expressed deep remorse, wishing he could show his soul to convey just how sorry he is for everything that happened, while also maintaining his innocence and asserting that Texas got it wrong. He was the third person executed in Texas this year and the tenth in the U.S., after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied his request for a reprieve just days before his execution. The Texas Attorney General’s Office dismissed Broadnax's claims of racial discrimination in jury selection as "entirely meritless," stating that jurors were dismissed based on their responses during questioning.

(UPDATED May 1, 2026 23:15 UTC)

Broadnax was executed just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-minute request from his attorneys to spare his life, marking him as the 10th person executed in the U.S. in 2026. His execution followed that of James Ernest Hitchcock in Florida, who was put to death for a crime committed nearly 50 years ago. Broadnax's attorneys argued that prosecutors violated his constitutional rights by using rap lyrics to portray him as violent, which drew support from prominent rappers including Travis Scott and Killer Mike.

(UPDATED May 1, 2026 17:13 UTC)

In a startling confession, Demarius Cummings admitted in a video that he was the one who shot Matthew Bullard and Steve Swan, a statement that Matthew Bullard’s mother, Theresa Butler, dismissed as a desperate tactic by Broadnax’s defense team. Meanwhile, Broadnax's attorneys argue that Cummings' confession is supported by DNA evidence found on the murder weapon and one of the victims, but the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied Broadnax’s request for a reprieve from his death sentence. Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Broadnax’s appeal concerning the use of rap lyrics during his trial, which his legal team contended infringed on his constitutional rights.

(UPDATED May 1, 2026 17:00 UTC)

James Broadnax was executed by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, where he was pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m. Broadnax, who maintained his innocence until the end, claimed in his final statement that "Texas got it wrong," while his cousin Demarius Cummings received a life sentence without parole for their involvement in the 2008 shooting deaths of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler. The execution marked Broadnax as the third person executed in Texas this year and the tenth in the country, following a denial from the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the process.