After the execution of James G. Broadnax in Texas, questions persist over use of rap lyrics as evidence

Why do rap lyrics continue to be used to demonize people inside and outside the courtroom, in ways that no other art form has to contend with?

By: A.D. Carson, University of Virginia, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 6, 2026

Words: 1,449

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

By A.D. Carson, University of Virginia

After languishing on death row in Texas for nearly two decades, James G. Broadnax was executed on April 30, 2026.

In 2009, a nearly all-white jury convicted him of robbery and double murder. Broadnax’s lawyers believed the initial rejection of all Black candidates from the jury pool was unconstitutional. They also believed it was unconstitutional that prosecutors used 40 pages of Broadnax’s handwritten lyrics, which they …

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