Executed Texas rapper’s wife reveals she was only allowed to touch him when he was dead
Death row rapper James Broadnax was executed this year, and his wife has revealed that she was only allowed to touch him after he died.
In 2009, Broadnax was sentenced to death by the state of Texas after being convicted of double murder. He died by lethal injection at the Texas State Penitentiary in April.
During a recent interview, 31-year-old Tiana Broadnax detailed the moment she had bodily contact with her husband following his death.
“James had said that when he came out of prison, the first place he wanted to go was to the altar so we could marry properly,” she told The Mirror. “I wanted to walk down the aisle, and that was James’ dream. But the first time I saw him after he was executed was in the church.”
She continued, “So I’m walking down the aisle, but it wasn’t to get married, it was to see my husband’s lifeless body. I forgot that I’m allowed to touch him because in my mind I thought there was still glass between us.”
Tiana went on to claim that he didn’t die peacefully after discussing the moment she hugged him for the first time.
“I kissed him, I hugged him, his body was still warm because it was only 40 minutes after his death.” she said. “And I had about six or seven police officers surrounding me, and then that’s when I saw the state of him. He had bruising on his neck, and he had a nose bleed. I know it was not a peaceful execution.”
She added, “I can’t sleep at night. I’ve spent one night sleeping on the floor. I can be in the car and have flashbacks and I have to talk to myself out of it because I go back into that room watching James suffer.”
Tiana watched the execution take place and claimed that he was struggling in his last moments.
“We were talking the whole time in that execution chamber,” she said. “He groaned so loud, and his head flipped back, and his eyes rolled back. That’s pain. I thought it was going to be peaceful, just like going to sleep. I saw him go blue. I saw his lips go blue. I saw his veins appear. I could see him struggling. That’s not peaceful.”