A death row inmate has been executed despite his cousin admitting to being the one who carried out the crime. James Broadnax, 37, was sentenced to death for the 2008 shootings of two Christian music producers outside a studio in Dallas, nearly 18 years ago.

The Texas prisoner claims prosecutors misused rap lyrics he had written in order to secure his death sentence. Broadnax and his cousin, Demarius Cummings, fatally shot and robbed Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler in the car park of Butler's recording studio in Garland.

Cummings was sentenced to life without parole, according to CBS News. Prosecutors say Broadnax, 37, confessed to the shooting to reporters outside the prison, stating: "I pulled the trigger" and that he had no remorse. However, Cummings has since confessed to being the shooter.

In his final statement before being put to death, James Broadnax said: "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."

Despite this, Broadnax was administered a lethal injection at 6.47pm local time at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, with all appeals having failed. Just days prior, on April 14, he had wed Tiana Krasniqi, a British-based law school graduate, at the Allan B. Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas.

His legal team argued that Cummings had recently confessed to being the shooter, and that Broadnax's constitutional rights had been violated after prosecutors allegedly dismissed potential jurors during his trial on the grounds 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 Swann," Cummings said recently from prison in a video created as part of the efforts to stop Broadnax's execution.

Broadnax's solicitors stated 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."

In the video, Broadnax maintained that his own confession was false, claiming he had no regard for his life at the time. His legal team assert he was under the influence of drugs during the television interviews. He also offered an apology to the families of Butler and Swann for his involvement in the robbery.

"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," Broadnax said.

Broadnax's legal representatives had previously argued that prosecutors had breached his constitutional rights by using rap lyrics he had written to paint him as a violent and dangerous individual in order to secure a death sentence.

A number of high-profile rappers, amongst them Travis Scott, T.I. and Killer Mike, had submitted briefs to the Supreme Court in support of Broadnax's appeal, which was ultimately rejected.

The Texas Attorney General's Office has described Cummings' confession as "questionable new evidence."

Theresa Butler, Matthew Butler's mother, has requested that the execution go ahead. "This so-called confession from Cummings is just a stall tactic by Broadnax's desperate defense team. It's all a lie," Butler wrote in a post on social media.

Broadnax became the third individual to be executed in Texas this year, a state that has historically carried out more executions than any other in the country.

Earlier this week, Tiana Krasniqi appeared on ITV's This Morning via video link ahead of their wedding ceremony, telling hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, if the execution does take place she wants to be there.

Tiana revealed she first encountered Broadnax while undertaking her Master's degree in international human rights law, with a particular focus on racial disparities on Texas' death row. Convinced his case fitted that description, she reached out to him, and the pair subsequently fell in love.