The case that shocked Dallas last fall finally found its conclusion this week at Amber Guyger Sentencing Hearing. Amber Guyger, a Dallas police officer, was charged with manslaughter for killing an innocent man last September 6.
Guyger, after working what she described as a very long shift, headed for her Dallas apartment building. For some reason, rather than going to her own apartment, she climbed the stairs to what would be discovered the apartment of Botham Jean.
Jean was sitting on his couch watching tv and eating ice cream when Guyger entered his apartment. Jean had left his door partially open. He didn’t expect to come face to face with an off-duty police officer with her gun drawn.
Guyger shot Jean and killed him. She immediately called 911 and was heard telling the dispatcher – 19 times- that she thought she was in her own apartment. She stated that she approached the apartment door, saw it was ajar, and thought there was an intruder. The problem is – she was at the wrong apartment.
Guyger lived on the bottom floor. There’s no explanation for why she would climb the stairs to Jean’s apartment and mistake it for her own. She was initially charged with manslaughter. However, after hearing the gruesome details of the crime, the Dallas grand jury indicted her for murder instead.
To nobody’s surprise, Guyger was found guilty. However, in court yesterday, she was only sentenced to 10 years. Many protesters arguing that this sentence was too mild.
In an emotional statement, the victim’s brother, Brandt Jean, spoke at the sentencing hearing. Rather than condemning the defendant, he said he forgave her, loved her, and asked the judge if he could give her a hug.
The two embraced for quite some time before Mr. Jean returned to his family.
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