Amber Guyger Found Guilty of Murder of Botham Jean

October 1, 2019 in News, Video by RBN Staff

 

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Amber Guyger faces between 5 and 99 years in prison

WHAT TO KNOW

  • Amber Guyger found guilty of murder, as charged.

  • Sentencing set to begin when court resumes at 1 p.m.

  • Guyger faces between 5 and 99 years in prison.

Court is expected to resume at 1 p.m. Tuesday as the sentencing phase begins.

Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger is guilty of murder in the deadly 2018 shooting of her unarmed neighbor Botham Jean, a Dallas County jury ruled Tuesday.

The jury reached the verdict in Guyger’s high-profile trial after six days of witness testimony, but just a handful of hours of deliberation.

Cheers erupted in the courthouse as the verdict was announced, and someone yelled “Thank you, Jesus!” In the hallway outside the courtroom where Guyger was tried, a crowd celebrated in raised voices. When the prosecutors walked into the hall, they broke into cheers.

Guyger faces between 5 and 99 years in prison. Court will resume at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Judge Tammy Kemp instructed the jury Monday that it had to decide if the shooting of Jean was reasonable under the circumstances or, if not, decide whether Guyger was guilty of murder or manslaughter.

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Legal experts said they did not expect the jury to reach a decision quickly.

The red “jury call” light illuminated shortly after deliberations resumed Tuesday, indicating the jury sought attention from the court.

Watch: Judge Reads Guilty Verdict for Amber Guyger

Watch: Judge Reads Guilty Verdict for Amber Guyger

A Dallas County jury found Amber Guyger guilty of murder Tuesday in the death of Botham Jean.

(Published 2 hours ago)

According to attorneys for the Jean family, the jury had two questions for the court. One concerned the definition of manslaughter, and the second was a request for more information about Castle Doctrine.

Those circumstances, according to Guyger’s own testimony, occurred when she mistakenly entered Jean’s apartment instead of her own in September 2018 and took him for an intruder who posed a threat to her life. Jean was not armed.

Botham Jean’s family reacts after a jury found former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger guilty of murder in Jean’s death.
Photo credit: Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News

The jury was instructed by Kemp that they should first consider the murder charge and that if they did not find Guyger guilty of that charge they could consider the included offense of manslaughter. Kemp added that if members of the jury were torn on whether they should find Guyger guilty of murder or manslaughter, they should have resolved that conflict in the defendant’s favor by finding her guilty of the lesser charge.

After the verdict was announced, Tim Ryan, the U.S. Chair and a senior partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers — the accounting firm where Jean worked — issued the following statement.

“Bo’s death was a heartbreak for all of us at PwC. I’m asking you to remember the tremendous person we lost at the center of this, our beloved friend and colleage Bo. He is dearly missed, but we can make sure his impact lives on by being kind and generous to everyone around us.”

The basic facts of the unusual shooting were not in dispute throughout the trial. In September 2018, Guyger walked up to Jean’s apartment — which was on the fourth floor, directly above hers on the third — and found the door unlocked. She was off duty, but still dressed in her police uniform after a long shift when she shot Jean with her service weapon.

Judge Clay Jenkins@JudgeClayJ

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins’ Statement on the Amber Guyger Guilty Verdict

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Jean, who grew up in the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia, came to the U.S. for college and starting his career as an accountant. His shooting drew widespread attention because of the strange circumstances and because it was one in a string of shootings of unarmed black men by white police officers.

Guyger was arrested three days after the killing. She was later fired and charged with murder, but only spoke publicly about the shooting upon taking the witness stand last Friday.

Ex-Cop Amber Guyger Guilty of MurderEx-Cop Amber Guyger Guilty of Murder

Former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger was found guilty of murdering her neighbor Botham Jean in his apartment.

(Published 2 hours ago)

Closing Arguments

Closing Argument: Prosecutor Jason FineClosing Argument: Prosecutor Jason Fine

Prosecutor Jason Fine presents his closing argument in the Amber Guyger murder trial, Sept. 30, 2019.

(Published Monday, Sept. 30, 2019)

Closing Argument: Toby Shook, DefenseClosing Argument: Toby Shook, Defense

Defense attorney Toby Shook presents his closing argument in the Amber Guyger murder trial, Sept. 30, 2019.

(Published Monday, Sept. 30, 2019)

Closing Argument: Robert Rogers, DefenseClosing Argument: Robert Rogers, Defense

Defense attorney Robert Rogers presents his closing argument in the Amber Guyger murder trial, Sept. 30, 2019.

(Published Monday, Sept. 30, 2019)

Closing Argument: Prosecutor Jason HermusClosing Argument: Prosecutor Jason Hermus

Prosecutor Jason Hermus presents his closing argument in the Amber Guyger murder trial, Sept. 30, 2019.

(Published Monday, Sept. 30, 2019)

Amber Guyger Murder Trial Attorneys

Learn more about the prosecutors and defense attorneys

Source/Credits: Larry Collins, Jack Highberger, NBC 5, Attorney Firms

Full Amber Guyger Timeline