Ex Dallas Cop Amber Guyger Found Guilty Of Murder In The Killing Of Her Neighbor
Amber Guyger,31, was found guilty by a jury of her peers in Dallas on Tuesday, the jury started to deliberate yesterday afternoon. The verdict came down on Tuesday morning, judge Tammy Kemp admonished the galley ‘no outbursts’ as the verdict was read.
The trial started last Monday, the jury was sequestered at a hotel. Botham Jean an accountant for Price Waterhouse was active in his local church. Botham, was sitting on his couch in his apartment watching a football game and eating vanilla ice cream on September 6, 2018.
He was a resident at Southside Flats Apartments and lived on the third floor. Guyger lived directly above Botham on the fourth floor. Gugyer, parked on the wrong floor of the building, she parked on the third floor. She entered Botham’s apartment thinking it was her own apartment and that Botham was an intruder.
The Incident Sparked Riots In Dallas ,The Eyes Of The Country Were On Dallas During The Trial
Guyger, a Dallas cop for five years at the time of the shooting, fired twice, one bullet hit a back wall the other hit Botham in the upper left side of his chest. Guyger called 911, while sending text messages to her married police partner and boyfriend.
One of the issues brought out during trial was that Guyger did not render first aid to Botham as he lay dying on his living room floor. Responding officers to the apartment started CPR immediately, the shot fired was fatal and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In a rare move Gugyer took the witness stand in her defense. She said she shot Botham because she thought she was in her own apartment, and she feared for her life. She said she told Botham to ‘show me your hands’ twice, She claimed he said ‘Hey Hey Hey’ as he came towards her and she fired. Another issue brought out by the state, is that Guyger was more concerned about losing her job than Botham’s life.
Guyger Has Been Out On Bail Since Murder Charges Were Filed Against Her Last Year
Guyger was immediately placed on paid leave, after the shooting. Three days later she was arrested and charged with manslaughter, she was released on a $300.000 bond. On September 13, 2018 hundreds of friends and family members gathered for Jean’s Dallas funeral.
On September 24th Guyger was fired from the Dallas Police Force, for conduct unbecoming a police officer. November 30, 2018 Guyger was indicted for first degree murder, she remained free on bond.
A ‘castle domain law’ similar to ‘stand your ground law‘ is on the books in Texas. It was used in the defense of Guyger, The law states a homeowner can shoot and kill an intruder in the home.
However Guyger was not in her home, and the jury did not agree that Guyger was justified in the killing of Botham. Furthermore, the same jury that convicted Guyger will decide what her sentence should be on Tuesday afternoon. She faces 5 years to life without the possibility of parole.