Many, many years ago, I was pruning an outdoor crop...can't remember what strain it was, I didn't know much about strains back in the day. I clearly remember one of the plants "bleed" when we pinched it, and it was blood red, very dark and slow, would cause a "bead" at the end of the cutting. If it were dark enough, or dryer, it could have looked brown easy.
I was told at the time that the roots were still pumping and that the "wound" would heal faster since the plant bleed, also it was typical of the strain...but like I said, I can't tell you what that strain was..
Now, that was a live plant, the roots were still alive anyway. I am still here today. I realize that there is a lot more mystery involved with a drying stem "bleeding" but just thought I would share that memory since you stirred it up.
Were the stems reddish on the plant? Did you let the plant go without water for a couple days before chopping? I remember the plant I am talking about having a lot of red/purple stems.