With an option to indict her for manslaughter, or murder, or nothing at all, last week, a Texas grand jury indicted Amber Guyger for murder in the shooting death of Botham Jean in his apartment this past September.
Guyger, who was a Dallas police officer at the time of the shooting, was arrested and charged with manslaughter three days after she shot and killed the unarmed Botham Jean in his apartment; she was eventually—and don’t get me started on eventually—fired from her job.
Here’s what the Grand Jury learned … Amber Guyger, on the night of the murder, had just ended a 15-hour shift when she returned home, in uniform, to her apartment building; she parked on the fourth floor, instead of the third, where she lived, which suggests she was confused or disoriented … or something.
Guyger went to an apartment, put her key in the door, found it unlocked, slightly ajar, and entered the apartment. Inside, the lights were off, and she saw a figure in the darkness. In her statement, she said she her apartment was being burglarized and gave verbal commands to the figure, who ignored them, and then she drew her weapon and fired twice.
She called 911 and when asked where she was, she didn’t say she was at home, she went to the front door to find that she was in the wrong apartment.
However, two independent witnesses have said they heard knocking on Jean’s door before the shooting, and one witness reported hearing a woman shouting, “Let me in! Let me in!” before hearing gunshots. The witness says he then heard a man saying:
“Oh my God! Why did you do that?”
Those may have been Botham Jean’s last words and hopefully, if amber Guyger decides to be truthful, we might actually learn why she did it.
When asked why the grand jury indicted Guyger on the more serious offense of murder, Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said, "We presented the evidence and we explained the law."
And the law states that murder constitutes someone "intentionally and knowingly" committing a crime, whereas manslaughter involves "recklessly doing something." Johnson believes that, at “the moment of the shooting it was a knowing ... offense."
Meaning Amber Guyger knew what she was doing when she fired her gun that night, and the only person who didn’t know anything was Botham Jean.
I hope his family, after the trial, will know justice.
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All we can hope for is for justice, but for the poor, the weak and weary justice comes at a price that most cannot pay. Let us hope that this case proves different
ReplyDeleteVery, very sad.
ReplyDeleteUsually the Grand Jury doesn't release all the information they have, like how the rooms are decorated, sizes of chairs, where mirrors are on the walls. These things are very important if they were to believe she thought she was in her own apartment. I mean, it wasn't like she walked in the front door and he was standing there in the dark.
ReplyDeleteAt least there’s that! But sure hope the truth comes out.
ReplyDelete