Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was found guilty Tuesday of the murder of Botham Jean, a 26-year-old black man she shot in his own apartment last year.
Guyger, 31, who had pleaded not guilty, could now face life in prison.
The then-officer shot Jean, an accountant, in his Dallas apartment on Sept. 6, 2018. He had been sitting on his couch watching TV and eating ice cream when she showed up. She said in her initial statements that she had mistaken him as an intruder in her own apartment, which was one floor below his.
Advertisement
According to her arrest warrant, she was able to enter the apartment because the door had been left slightly ajar. Guyger, who was wearing her uniform during the incident, told investigators she fired at him twice after he ignored her commands. She said she then called 911.
Guyger was fired from the Dallas Police Department later that month and was indicted on a murder charge about two months later.
Jean’s family members hugged each other and cried in the courtroom after Judge Tammy Kemp handed down the verdict, local media reported.
Ben Crump, an attorney for the family, said in a statement that the jury’s decision “sets a powerful precedent for future cases.”
Advertisement
“Nothing will bring Botham back but today his family has found some measure of justice,” he said. “What happened on September 6, 2018, is clear to everyone: This officer saw a black man and shot, without reason and without justification.”
“The jury’s thoughtful verdict sets a powerful precedent for future cases, telling law enforcement officers that they cannot hide behind the badge but instead will face justice for their wrongful actions,” he added.
The high-profile case generated mass outrage, with protesters in Dallas holding up Guyger, who is white, as another example of a police officer using outsize violence against black people.
Guyger’s defense team argued on the first day of her trial, Sept. 23, that their client feared her life was in danger and “acted as any police officer would.” They also noted that the building had a confusing floor plan and that other residents reported instances of going to the wrong apartments.
“I feel like a terrible person. I feel like a piece of crap,” she told the courtroom through sobs. “I hate that I have to live with this every single day of my life. And I ask God for forgiveness, and I hate myself every single day. I feel like I don’t deserve a chance to be with my family and friends. And I wish he was the one with the gun who killed me.”
"I wish he was the one with the gun that killed me."
Amber Guyger, ex-Dallas police officer accused of killing unarmed man in his apartment, breaks down in tears on the stand as she recounts the night's tragic events. https://t.co/EHJNIYULgMpic.twitter.com/ryoJkObpuF
She also asked the court to believe that her actions had nothing to do with Jean’s race.
“I was scared this person inside my apartment was going to hurt me,” she said, later adding, “This is not about hate, it’s about being scared that night.”
The 12-member jury began deliberating Monday afternoon and presented the judge with a verdict Tuesday morning.
Advertisement
Guyger’s attorneys had encouraged jurors to consider the “castle doctrine,” a legal protection similar to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which gives a person immunity if they use deadly force while defending themselves.
But prosecutors pushed back on that defense, arguing that she should have noticed several clues that she was at the wrong apartment. For one, Jean had a doormat, they noted, while she did not. Jean’s apartment also didn’t have the large entryway table that hers did.
“I mean, my God. This is crazy,” prosecutor Jason Fine said in court, listing several other visual cues Guyger missed. “It was unreasonable ― she should’ve known she was in the wrong apartment.”
These were not reasonable mistakes, he added.
“Nobody had to die,” Fine said. “She caused his death. She acted unreasonably.”
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.