https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/amber-guyger-ex-dallas-police-officer-granted-parole-botham-jean-murde-rcna600983
U.S. news
U.S. news
Amber Guyger, ex-Dallas police officer, granted parole after Botham Jean murder conviction
Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison for fatally shooting Jean, her neighbor, after walking into his apartment in 2018.
Listen to this article with a free profile
Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger in court in 2019. She told authorities that she shot her neighbor after she mistakenly walked into his apartment, believing it to be her own. Tom Fox / The Dallas Morning News via AP
by Matt Lavietes
October 1, 2026
NBC News
A former Dallas police officer was granted parole Thursday, just under seven years after she was convicted of murdering her neighbor in a 2018 shooting.
Amber Guyger, 38, was granted parole by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, the board said in a statement. In 2019, Guyger was convicted of murdering Botham Jean, a 26-year-old Black man.
Guyger told authorities that she shot Jean after she mistakenly walked into his apartment, believing it to be her own, according to officials. She told authorities she believed Jean was an intruder. Jean was eating ice cream in his living room and was not armed, according to authorities.
Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors had asked jurors to sentence her to at least 28 years.
The Texas board said that Guyger was granted parole because she did not have a documented pattern of violent arrests, she “maintained a satisfactory institutional adjustment,” and she completed programs “that should enhance chances to obtain and maintain full-time stable employment” during her imprisonment.
Guyger initially became eligible for parole on Sept. 29, 2024. Her initial review occurred Oct. 10, 2024, and resulted in a parole denial, with her next review being scheduled in or about this month.
During her trial, questions were raised about the role race may have played in the killing.
Prosecutors revealed racist text messages Guyger sent, unrelated to Jean or his killing.
One of the texts was about the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Dallas in 2018.
“When does this end lol,” an officer wrote to Guyger.
“When MLK is dead ... oh wait ...,” she joked.
Two days before Guyger killed Jean, she texted someone who had just adopted a German shepherd.
The dog’s owner wrote that the dog “may be racist.”
Guyger replied: “It’s okay ... I’m the same.”
A demonstrator with a photo of Botham Jean during a protest against police killings in Revere, Mass., in 2020. Erin Clark / Boston Globe via Getty
Prosecutors said Jean was watching television and eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream in his living room just before 10 p.m. when Guyger burst inside and shot him.
Guyger testified that she used her electronic key fob to open Jean’s door and that she immediately drew her service weapon once she was inside.
The prosecution said the trajectory of the bullet showed that Jean was either getting up from his couch or cowering when Guyger fired at him.
A lawyer for Jean’s family, Lee Merritt, said in a statement to NBC News Dallas-Fort Worth that the family was “disappointed by the decision.”
“A 10-year sentence was already a fraction of what was lost,” Merritt said. “Releasing Ms. Guyger after seven years makes that loss feel even smaller in the eyes of the system. It is not. The family still lives with this loss every day.”
Jean’s family asked for privacy in a statement Thursday.
“To all of the many well-wishers who have continued to say Botham’s name and carry his memory, they wish to give their thanks for the continuing support,” the family said.
Jean’s brother, Brandt Jean, said he forgave Guyger during her sentencing in 2019.
“I personally want the best for you,” he said at the time. “I wasn’t even going to say this before my family, but I don’t even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you, because I know that’s exactly what Botham would want you to do — to give your life to Christ.”
The Dallas Police Department said in a statement that it had “no role in this decision.”
“The Dallas Police Department understands this decision may bring renewed attention and emotion surrounding the tragic death of Botham Jean,” it said. “Our thoughts remain with the Jean family and all those impacted by his loss.”
Jean grew up in St. Lucia before he came to the U.S. to go to Harding University in Arkansas, which he graduated from in 2016. He was working as an accountant for one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers, in Dallas when he was killed.
He would have turned 35 years old Tuesday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Lavietes
I’m a reporter on NBC News’ breaking news team, covering crime, extreme weather, pop culture and more. I recently covered Hurricane Milton, which devastated the Tampa, Florida, metropolitan area, and the student-led protests at Columbia University.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas-local-government/article/botham-jean-s-family-fights-make-dallas-pay-22460181.php
News//Dallas Local Government
Botham Jean’s family fights to make Dallas pay $98.65M judgment against Guyger
With Guyger granted parole, Jean’s family argues Dallas’ insurance plan should cover damages for his wrongful death.
by Karen Brooks Harper
October 3, 2026
The Dallas Morning News
The family argues the city, which provided liability coverage to Guyger as a Dallas police officer, is responsible for the federal civil judgment over Jean’s wrongful death and the violation of his rights.
Guyger shot and killed Jean in September 2018 inside his own apartment, saying she mistook it for her own and believed he was an intruder. She was off duty, but still in uniform, after a nearly 14-hour shift.
She was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2019 for Jean’s murder. After being granted parole this week, Guyger will serve the remainder of her sentence outside prison under parole supervision. It is unclear when she will be released.
Jean’s family filed a new lawsuit in March seeking to get the city of Dallas — which was Guyger’s insurance provider as a police officer — to pay the nearly $100 million judgment instead of Guyger.
“If a police officer makes a mistake when they decide to pull the trigger, they are on their own. You can pay your taxes to fund the insurance plan, but if you are harmed by an officer’s mistake, you are on your own,” said Dallas attorney Lisa Blue, who is representing Jean’s family.
City officials say its insurance plan does not cover the shooting, leaving Dallas with no liability for the judgment.
The family’s lawyers argue that position would deny Jean’s survivors restitution, saddle Guyger with an impossible debt and let Dallas avoid accountability for its employee’s actions.
Blue said the lawsuit and Guyger’s parole have resurfaced the pain of losing Jean.
“The loss of Botham has left our family forever dismembered, and that is something we continue to live with every day,” the family said in a statement Friday.
Guyger is not involved in the family’s suit. But if they win, Guyger would be off the hook for the damages and the onus would be on the city to pay them. A hearing was scheduled but postponed at the city’s request, Blue said. A new date has not been set.
City officials have declined to comment on pending litigation, but its attorneys have said in court filings that the city insurance plan does not have to cover losses that occur if a plan member commits “criminal acts and other willful and intentional misconduct and wrongdoing.” Guyger’s murder conviction proves she did just that, the city attorneys said.
by Matt Lavietes
October 1, 2026
NBC News
A former Dallas police officer was granted parole Thursday, just under seven years after she was convicted of murdering her neighbor in a 2018 shooting.
Amber Guyger, 38, was granted parole by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, the board said in a statement. In 2019, Guyger was convicted of murdering Botham Jean, a 26-year-old Black man.
Guyger told authorities that she shot Jean after she mistakenly walked into his apartment, believing it to be her own, according to officials. She told authorities she believed Jean was an intruder. Jean was eating ice cream in his living room and was not armed, according to authorities.
Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors had asked jurors to sentence her to at least 28 years.
The Texas board said that Guyger was granted parole because she did not have a documented pattern of violent arrests, she “maintained a satisfactory institutional adjustment,” and she completed programs “that should enhance chances to obtain and maintain full-time stable employment” during her imprisonment.
Guyger initially became eligible for parole on Sept. 29, 2024. Her initial review occurred Oct. 10, 2024, and resulted in a parole denial, with her next review being scheduled in or about this month.
During her trial, questions were raised about the role race may have played in the killing.
Prosecutors revealed racist text messages Guyger sent, unrelated to Jean or his killing.
One of the texts was about the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Dallas in 2018.
“When does this end lol,” an officer wrote to Guyger.
“When MLK is dead ... oh wait ...,” she joked.
Two days before Guyger killed Jean, she texted someone who had just adopted a German shepherd.
The dog’s owner wrote that the dog “may be racist.”
Guyger replied: “It’s okay ... I’m the same.”
A demonstrator with a photo of Botham Jean during a protest against police killings in Revere, Mass., in 2020. Erin Clark / Boston Globe via Getty
Prosecutors said Jean was watching television and eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream in his living room just before 10 p.m. when Guyger burst inside and shot him.
Guyger testified that she used her electronic key fob to open Jean’s door and that she immediately drew her service weapon once she was inside.
The prosecution said the trajectory of the bullet showed that Jean was either getting up from his couch or cowering when Guyger fired at him.
A lawyer for Jean’s family, Lee Merritt, said in a statement to NBC News Dallas-Fort Worth that the family was “disappointed by the decision.”
“A 10-year sentence was already a fraction of what was lost,” Merritt said. “Releasing Ms. Guyger after seven years makes that loss feel even smaller in the eyes of the system. It is not. The family still lives with this loss every day.”
Jean’s family asked for privacy in a statement Thursday.
“To all of the many well-wishers who have continued to say Botham’s name and carry his memory, they wish to give their thanks for the continuing support,” the family said.
Jean’s brother, Brandt Jean, said he forgave Guyger during her sentencing in 2019.
“I personally want the best for you,” he said at the time. “I wasn’t even going to say this before my family, but I don’t even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you, because I know that’s exactly what Botham would want you to do — to give your life to Christ.”
The Dallas Police Department said in a statement that it had “no role in this decision.”
“The Dallas Police Department understands this decision may bring renewed attention and emotion surrounding the tragic death of Botham Jean,” it said. “Our thoughts remain with the Jean family and all those impacted by his loss.”
Jean grew up in St. Lucia before he came to the U.S. to go to Harding University in Arkansas, which he graduated from in 2016. He was working as an accountant for one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers, in Dallas when he was killed.
He would have turned 35 years old Tuesday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Lavietes
I’m a reporter on NBC News’ breaking news team, covering crime, extreme weather, pop culture and more. I recently covered Hurricane Milton, which devastated the Tampa, Florida, metropolitan area, and the student-led protests at Columbia University.
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas-local-government/article/botham-jean-s-family-fights-make-dallas-pay-22460181.php
News//Dallas Local Government
Botham Jean’s family fights to make Dallas pay $98.65M judgment against Guyger
With Guyger granted parole, Jean’s family argues Dallas’ insurance plan should cover damages for his wrongful death.
by Karen Brooks Harper
October 3, 2026
The Dallas Morning News
The family argues the city, which provided liability coverage to Guyger as a Dallas police officer, is responsible for the federal civil judgment over Jean’s wrongful death and the violation of his rights.
Guyger shot and killed Jean in September 2018 inside his own apartment, saying she mistook it for her own and believed he was an intruder. She was off duty, but still in uniform, after a nearly 14-hour shift.
She was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2019 for Jean’s murder. After being granted parole this week, Guyger will serve the remainder of her sentence outside prison under parole supervision. It is unclear when she will be released.
Jean’s family filed a new lawsuit in March seeking to get the city of Dallas — which was Guyger’s insurance provider as a police officer — to pay the nearly $100 million judgment instead of Guyger.
“If a police officer makes a mistake when they decide to pull the trigger, they are on their own. You can pay your taxes to fund the insurance plan, but if you are harmed by an officer’s mistake, you are on your own,” said Dallas attorney Lisa Blue, who is representing Jean’s family.
City officials say its insurance plan does not cover the shooting, leaving Dallas with no liability for the judgment.
The family’s lawyers argue that position would deny Jean’s survivors restitution, saddle Guyger with an impossible debt and let Dallas avoid accountability for its employee’s actions.
Blue said the lawsuit and Guyger’s parole have resurfaced the pain of losing Jean.
“The loss of Botham has left our family forever dismembered, and that is something we continue to live with every day,” the family said in a statement Friday.
Guyger is not involved in the family’s suit. But if they win, Guyger would be off the hook for the damages and the onus would be on the city to pay them. A hearing was scheduled but postponed at the city’s request, Blue said. A new date has not been set.
City officials have declined to comment on pending litigation, but its attorneys have said in court filings that the city insurance plan does not have to cover losses that occur if a plan member commits “criminal acts and other willful and intentional misconduct and wrongdoing.” Guyger’s murder conviction proves she did just that, the city attorneys said.
City should pay family, suit says
Jean’s death is an example of why insurance plans were created, Blue said. The suit says the city is legally responsible as an insurer and is also morally responsible because its own police staffing practices put its officers at risk of making mistakes. The city called that argument irrelevant.
Central to Guyger’s defense was that she never intended to do anything but defend herself in a moment she believed was threatening. Blue is not seeking to dispute the trial jury’s guilty verdict, but doesn’t believe that Guyger intentionally committed a crime.
“You can’t say it wasn’t an accident. She shot an innocent man sitting in his apartment eating ice cream. I mean, that’s an accident,” Blue said in a phone interview. “Of course, she intentionally pulled the trigger, but she did not intentionally violate the law. She thought she was following the law, but made a terrible, tragic mistake. That is exactly what insurance is for.”
Amber Guyger, shown with defense attorney Toby Shook during her 2019 murder trial, was granted parole Thursday. Tom Fox/Staff Photographer
The city has taken the position that governmental immunity under the Texas Constitution protects it from lawsuits by people seeking monetary damages and that Jean’s family has no standing to make a claim against the insurance plan.
On the night of Sept. 6, 2018, Guyger had worked a long shift. She had already been on 11-hour shifts for the previous four days when she arrived at the wrong floor of her parking garage, entered the wrong hallway and opened the wrong door to Jean’s apartment, which was just above hers.
The lights were out in the apartment, and the door swung open when she tried to unlock it. She saw a figure on the couch. She fired twice.
“I’m so tired,” she told 911 operators that night as she tried to figure out her mistake.
The recent lawsuit alleges the city had long been violating its own ordinances by understaffing its police department, resulting in excessive work hours and a stressed-out, exhausted force.
Guyger was fired a few weeks after Jean’s death and jailed on a manslaughter charge. A grand jury later indicted her for murder. After her 2019 conviction, the city stopped paying for her attorney, leaving her destitute and unable to afford any more lawyers.
City claims immunity
Attorneys for the family sued the city and Guyger in federal court in 2024. The city was allowed out after arguing immunity and saying it did not have cover her in the intentional commission of a crime.
“The city of Dallas really, really let this family down. They [the city] fought so hard not to be responsible for what happened with Botham,” said Daryl Washington, who represented the Jean family in the 2024 civil suit. “You have families whose lives have been torn apart, and they will never be the same. And it makes it even worse when these cities fight so hard not to be held accountable for the actions of people who they hired.”
Brandt Jean, brother of shooting victim Botham Jean (second from left), hugs his sister Allisa Findley during a press conference outside the Frank Crowley Courts Building in reference to the shooting of Jean by Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, Monday, September 10, 2018. He was joined by his mother, Allison Jean (left) and attorney Benjamin Crump (right). Tom Fox/Staff Photographer
Even the attorneys who won that lawsuit two years ago doubt the family family will ever see restitution if Guyger is the one paying for it.
“I have so much empathy for this woman,” said Blue, who said she has not spoken to Guyger but hopes to meet her during the suit. “She made a terrible mistake that’s going to follow her for the rest of her life. I mean, her name is all over the world.”
Meanwhile, Jean’s family attorneys say, Botham’s death by a city employee — whose salary and insurance were paid for by his tax dollars — leaves nothing but a hole while they wait for restitution that may never come.
The money isn’t the whole thing, Blue said. But there are few other options, she said, for validating the enormity of their loss and perhaps removing their financial worries as they grieve.
“There is not a citizen in Dallas who would think it’s fair for the city to deny insurance coverage,” Blue said. “The only thing we can do for this poor family is try to get them some compensation.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Karen Brooks Harper
Karen Brooks Harper is a senior writer covering Texas politics. A Mizzou Tiger with nearly 30 years in Texas journalism, she has also covered the cartel wars along the border, Congress in Mexico City, 3 presidential races, and 6 hurricanes. Raised on blues in the MS Delta, she lives in ATX with her son, her boxing gloves, and her guitar. In that order.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Botham_Jean
Murder of Botham Jean
On the night of September 6, 2018, 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean was murdered in Dallas, Texas, by off-duty Dallas Police Department patrol officer Amber Guyger, who entered Jean's apartment and fatally shot him. Guyger, who said that she had entered Jean's apartment believing it was her own and believed Jean to be a burglar,[1][2] was initially charged with manslaughter. The absence of a murder charge led to protests and accusations of racial bias because Jean—an unarmed black man—was killed in his own home by a white off-duty officer who had apparently disregarded police protocols. On November 30, 2018, Guyger was indicted for murder.[3] In October 2019, she was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.[4] The ruling was upheld on appeal twice in 2021.[5] In November 2024, she was found liable in a wrongful death lawsuit for killing Jean and was ordered to pay Jean's family $98.65 million.[6] She was granted parole on October 1, 2026.[7]
Murder
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Location of the murder[8]
Botham Jean and Amber Guyger lived in separate apartments in South Side Flats, a four-story apartment complex located at the corner of South Lamar Street and Powhattan Street two blocks northwest of the headquarters of Dallas Police Department where Guyger worked as a patrol officer in the Cedars district in South Dallas.[9] The floor plans for each level of the building are mostly identical. Guyger's apartment on the third floor (number 1378), in which she had lived for approximately two months by the time of the murder, was located directly below Jean's apartment on the fourth floor (number 1478).[10]
On September 6, 2018, Guyger left work at 9:33 pm at the end of a 13.5-hour shift. She drove to the apartment complex, parking her vehicle in the parking garage of the fourth floor at 9:46 pm.[10] At this time, she was speaking over the phone with her romantic partner, who had telephoned her during her journey home, in a conversation which lasted until 9:55 pm.[11] She was still wearing her uniform and handgun.[11][12] Guyger walked to Jean's apartment, which she would later say she thought was her own, although there were prominent visual clues that she was on the wrong floor, including the distinctive red doormat outside Jean's apartment and the absence of a large planter like the one outside her apartment.[11][12]
Attempting to unlock the door, she noticed it was ajar;[13] although apartment doors at the complex had automatic electronic locks, the one on Jean's door was defective and did not always latch if the door was not closed forcibly.[12] She entered the apartment and found Jean sitting in his living room eating ice cream, unarmed, with his laptop open and turned on.[12][14][15] Although their apartments had the same floorplan, Jean's apartment had more furniture, including a coffee table and ottoman in front of the couch, and his television was substantially larger.[12] Guyger fired her handgun twice at Jean, striking him in the chest.[16] She would later testify that she believed him to be an intruder,[17] and that she feared he would kill her.[18] Guyger telephoned 9-1-1 at 9:59 pm.[19] Jean was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died from his wound. The Texas Rangers investigated the shooting, which led to Guyger's arrest three days later.[20]
Guyger was initially charged with manslaughter, but was later charged with murder.[14] The initial charge of manslaughter and the racial aspect of the shooting resulted in protests in the following days.[14]
The Dallas Police Department placed Guyger on paid administrative leave after the shooting. The department fired her on September 24, 2018.[21]
Botham Shem Jean, a 26-year-old Black man, was a Harding University alumnus and an accountant for PwC. Jean was born in Saint Lucia.[23]: 1 [24]
Following the shooting, an attorney representing Jean's family accused the Dallas Police Department of attempting to smear Jean's reputation by publicizing a police affidavit showing that police seized 0.368 ounces (10.4 g) of marijuana from Jean's apartment.[25] The lawyers also disputed the account of the incident that Guyger told officials, which was recorded in the arrest warrant affidavit, and asserted that two independent witnesses had come forward to give recollections that conflicted with Guyger's account. An attorney for Jean's family asserted that witnesses claimed to have heard knocking on the door to Jean's apartment and that they had heard a woman's voice saying "Let me in, let me in."[26]
saying "Let me in, let me in."[26]
Perpetrator
Amber Renée Guyger (born August 9, 1988)[27] was 30 years old at the time of the shooting. She had been with the Dallas Police Department for almost five years.
Criminal trial
On November 30, 2018, Guyger was indicted on murder charges by a Dallas County grand jury.[28] On September 22, 2019, the day before the trial began, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot took part in an interview regarding the trial in spite of a gag order issued by Judge Tammy Kemp in January of that year. After questioning jurors, who reported that they had not seen the interview or other media coverage of the trial, Kemp denied the defense's motion for a mistrial, and sequestered the jury.[29]
Manslaughter charges would have merely required proof of recklessness, while murder charges require proof that the defendant intended to cause either great bodily harm or death (with death resulting).[30] The prosecutors alleged criminal intent for two reasons: firstly, they said her arrival at the wrong apartment (on the wrong floor) was not caused by tiredness, but rather caused by the conversation she had immediately prior with her lover trying to arrange a meeting that night, and secondly that she did not follow standard police protocol of not entering a building with a potential burglar inside and instead calling for backup from the police station, which was only two blocks away.[30]: 1 [31]
On October 1, 2019, Guyger was found guilty of murder.[32] The jury deliberated for six hours to reach the verdict of murder.[30] The jurors also considered the lesser charge of manslaughter.[30] She was the first Dallas police officer to be convicted of murder since the 1973 murder of Santos Rodriguez.[30]
On October 2, 2019, Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison after the jury deliberated for an hour.[4] During the sentencing hearing, Jean's mother Allison provided emotional testimony and some of Guyger's text messages and social media posts that were "racist and offensive" were shared.[33] Jean's younger brother Brandt forgave and hugged Guyger during her sentencing. Jean's father Bertrum also stated that he forgave Guyger but had wanted a stiffer sentence.[34][35][36][37]
Guyger's legal bills were paid by the Dallas Police Association, a police union for Dallas officers.[38]
On October 16, 2019, Guyger's attorneys filed a notice of appeal requesting a new trial.[39][40] On August 7, 2020, Guyger's attorneys filed an appeal, alleging that insufficient evidence existed to convict her of murder. The appeal sought either an acquittal, or a reduction in charge to criminally negligent homicide with a new hearing for sentencing on the reduced charge.[41] On August 5, 2021, the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas upheld Guyger's murder conviction, unanimously holding that the jury verdict was reasonable and Guyger's own testimony supported the murder charge.[42][43] On November 17 of that year, the court withdrew its previous opinion, but again upheld her murder conviction using similar reasoning, stating that her defense that she had unknowingly entered the wrong apartment did not justify the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.[44][45] Her appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the court of last resort for criminal cases in the state, was denied.[46][47]
Guyger was imprisoned in the Patrick O'Daniel Unit (formerly the Mountain View Unit).[48] She was initially eligible for parole in September 2024 after she had served half her sentence,[49] but she was denied parole in October 2024.[50]
Guyger was granted parole on October 1, 2026, but it was not immediately made clear when she would be released.[7]
Controversy regarding police car camera
After the shooting, Guyger was detained and placed in the patrol car of Dallas police sergeant Breanna Valentine, who was then approached by Sergeant Mike Mata, Valentine's superior and president of the Dallas Police Association. Mata told Valentine to shut off the in-car camera, which recorded sound, so that he and Guyger could talk privately, and Valentine complied. Mata testified at Guyger's trial that turning off the camera was standard procedure intended to protect Guyger's attorney–client privilege, as she was planning to call her attorney.[51][52][53] Guyger's defense attorney endorsed Mata's statement,[51] but prosecutors disputed whether it was appropriate or normal to turn off the camera, saying that Guyger was given special treatment because she was a police officer.[51][53] Valentine testified that she sequestered Guyger in the patrol car to isolate her from the situation, but surveillance footage showed Mata allowing Guyger to exit the patrol car afterwards, talking to her, and allowing her to interact with friends and other officers.[51][53]
Dallas police policies at the time allowed an officer to turn off recording devices when, in the officer's judgment, there was no likelihood of "anything else evidentiary or law enforcement value occurring." [sic][51] Jean's family and community members said that turning off the camera led to a loss of evidence.[52] Valentine testified that she would not have turned it off if she had realized that Guyger was off-duty when the shooting occurred.[51] Mata denied wrongdoing and said that he welcomed an investigation by internal affairs.[53] In July 2020, prosecutors referred Mata to grand jury for tampering with evidence, but the jury declined to indict him. A Dallas police spokesman said that an internal investigation into Mata's conduct would continue. Mata declined to comment to the Dallas Morning News.[54]
Controversies involving witnesses
On January 31, 2019, ABC News reported that a female witness—identified only as "Bunny" — had taken a video of Guyger's actions immediately after the shooting. The witness claimed to have been harassed and threatened by unidentified Internet trolls after providing the video to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office and later posting it on social media.[55]
On October 4, 2019, key prosecution witness and Jean's across-the-hall neighbor, Joshua Brown, was shot and killed in the parking lot[56] of another apartment complex he had moved to, about 5 miles (8.0 km) from where Jean and Guyger had lived.[57][58] Witnesses could not describe the shooter or shooters, only the vehicle they drove.[59]
On October 8, Dallas police announced that they had identified three suspects in Brown's killing and had arrested one of them, and that the suspects were engaged in a drug deal with Brown when he was shot.[60] A search of Brown's apartment yielded 12 pounds (5.4 kg) of marijuana, 5.04 ounces (143 g) of THC cartridges and $4,000 in cash; however, advocates questioned police claims that the three men had traveled 300 miles (480 km) from Alexandria, Louisiana, to purchase drugs from Brown, and an attorney representing Brown's family called for an independent investigation by another agency. Dallas Assistant Police Chief Avery Brown denied that Joshua Brown's death was related to Guyger's trial.[61] A second suspect was arrested the next day,[62] and on December 8, all three men were indicted on charges of capital murder, although one of them remained at large.[63]
Civil trial
On November 20, 2024, a civil trial jury awarded Jean's family $98.65 million, including about $60 million in punitive damages and $38.6 million in compensatory damages, in a wrongful death claim against Guyger—a figure nearly double what the family sought.[6][64] The family said that Dallas police inadequately trained Guyger and also named the city of Dallas as a defendant, but the city was dismissed from the lawsuit, leaving Guyger solely responsible for paying the damages.[64] Guyger initially represented herself but did not appear at trial and declined to provide legal representation.[6][64] The family said it will donate any damages they receive to the Botham Jean Foundation, potentially including the proceeds from any film or book deals made by Guyger.[6] The family acknowledged they are unlikely to receive the full amount.[6]
Memorials
Dallas Police headquarters in 2021, with updated Botham Jean Blvd. (formerly Lamar St.) sign.
On January 13, 2021, the Dallas City Council unanimously voted to rename approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) of South Lamar Street from Interstate 30 to South Central Expressway (S.M. Wright Freeway) as Botham Jean Boulevard. The street passes Jean's former apartment and Dallas police headquarters.[65]
As a reaction to the controversy over the police car camera, Texas state representative Carl O. Sherman sponsored Texas House Bill 929, known as the Botham Jean Act, to enhance police accountability.[52] The Act made it illegal for police to disable body cameras at any time during their active participation in an investigation. It also requires that law enforcement policies regarding body cameras include stipulations about collecting the camera, video recording, and audio recording as evidence. The Act took effect in September 2021.[52][66]
On January 13, 2021, the Dallas City Council unanimously voted to rename approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) of South Lamar Street from Interstate 30 to South Central Expressway (S.M. Wright Freeway) as Botham Jean Boulevard. The street passes Jean's former apartment and Dallas police headquarters.[65]
As a reaction to the controversy over the police car camera, Texas state representative Carl O. Sherman sponsored Texas House Bill 929, known as the Botham Jean Act, to enhance police accountability.[52] The Act made it illegal for police to disable body cameras at any time during their active participation in an investigation. It also requires that law enforcement policies regarding body cameras include stipulations about collecting the camera, video recording, and audio recording as evidence. The Act took effect in September 2021.[52][66]
See also
List of unarmed African Americans killed by law enforcement officers in the United States
List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, September 2018
Shooting of Atatiana Jefferson
References
"Dallas officer goes home to wrong apartment, kills man inside". Fox 4. September 7, 2018.
Manna, Nichole (September 13, 2018). "Dallas police officer's arrest affidavit contradicts search warrant for victim's apartment". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
"Ex-Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger Indicted On Murder Charge In Killing Of Botham Jean". KERA News. December 1, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
"Victim's brother hugs ex-cop after sentencing in wrong-apartment murder". ABC News.
"Amber Guyger's appeal for rehearing again denied by Texas court". FOX 4. November 18, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
Robb, Shaun (November 20, 2024). "Botham Jean's family awarded nearly $100M in civil wrongful death case". Dallas, Texas: KDFW. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
Landers, Jamie; Brooks Harper, KAren (October 1, 2026). "Amber Guyger granted parole 7 years after conviction for murder of Botham Jean". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
"Ex-cop's murder trial for shooting neighbor set to start".
"Botham Jean's door was unlocked, lights were off when Officer Amber Guyger mistook his apartment for hers, official says". Dallas News. September 10, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
"Guyger v. State". casetext.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
"First day of Amber Guyger's murder trial focuses on her relationship, sexual texts with police partner". Dallas News. September 23, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
Tsiaperas, Tasha (September 26, 2019). "What we've learned in the Amber Guyger murder trial". Dallas, Texas: WFAA. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
"Ex-Dallas cop found guilty of murder in neighbor's death". CBS News. October 2019.
Ortiz, Erik; Johnson, Alex (October 2, 2019). "Amber Guyger sentenced to 10 years for murdering neighbor Botham Jean". NBC News. Retrieved October 6, 2019. Guyger is white, and Jean, a native of the island nation of St. Lucia who moved to Dallas for a job with PricewaterhouseCoopers, was black. His death stoked protests, led to Guyger's firing and renewed conversations about police use of force and racial bias.
Allyn, Bobby (October 1, 2019). "Ex-Dallas Officer Who Killed Man In His Own Apartment Is Found Guilty Of Murder". NPR. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
"Amber Guyger found guilty of murder at trial in fatal shooting of neighbor Botham Jean". NBC News. October 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
Martinez, Marina Trahan; Mervosh, Sarah; Eligon, John (October 2, 2019). "Former Dallas Police Officer Is Guilty of Murder for Killing Her Neighbor". The New York Times.
Donaghue, Erin (October 1, 2019). "Ex-Dallas cop found guilty of murder in neighbor's death". CBS. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
Mitchell, Mitch (September 25, 2019). "Lead investigator doesn't believe Amber Guyger's killing of Botham Jean was a crime". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
Emily, Jennifer (September 14, 2018). "Evidence Released in Botham Jean Slaying Prompts Allegations of 'Smear Campaign'". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
"Dallas Officer Fired for Killing Innocent Man in His Own Apartment". BBC News. September 24, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
"Who is Botham Jean? Dallas man shot by police officer was more than his death". WFAA. September 21, 2019.
Emily, Jennifer; Smith, LaVendrick; Branham, Dana (October 1, 2019). "Amber Guyger convicted of murder for killing Botham Jean; sentencing phase to continue Wednesday". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
"Jurors in Amber Guyger's murder trial watch officers' desperate efforts to revive Botham Jean". Dallas News. September 24, 2019.
"Dallas police accused of smearing man killed by cop in his own apartment". CBS News. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
"Victim's family disputes official account of the moments before Amber Guyger shot Botham Jean". Dallas News. September 10, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
"Dallas officer faces manslaughter charge in fatal shooting of neighbor". CBS News. September 10, 2018.
"Sources: Fired cop Amber Guyger indicted on a murder charge in Botham Jean killing". WFAA. November 30, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
"Sources: Dallas County DA spoke about Amber Guyger case on eve of murder trial — much to judge's dismay". Dallas News. September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
Allyn, Bobby (October 1, 2019). "Ex-Dallas Officer Who Killed Man In His Own Apartment Is Found Guilty Of Murder". NPR. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
"Weeping on the stand, Amber Guyger yells 'keep going!' at the lawyer". September 27, 2019. Guyger said she mistakenly thought she had parked on her own level in her apartment building's parking garage. 'I kept thinking I was so lucky' for finding a spot next to the entry door, she said, making it easier to carry her gear into her apartment.
"Amber Guyger found guilty of murder at trial in fatal shooting of neighbor Botham Jean". NBC News. October 2019.
"Amber Guyger sentenced to 10 years for murdering neighbor in his apartment". NBC News. October 3, 2019.
Simon, Darran (October 3, 2019). "Botham Jean's brother hugs the former police officer who killed him". CNN. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
Knowles, Hannah (October 4, 2019). "Amber Guyger was hugged by her victim's brother and a judge, igniting a debate about forgiveness and race". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
Pengelly, Martin (October 4, 2019). "Botham Jean's father: I forgive Amber Guyger but I wanted stiffer sentence". The Guardian. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
Chappell, Bill; Gonzales, Richard (October 3, 2019). "Brandt Jean's Act Of Grace Toward His Brother's Killer Sparks A Debate Over Forgiving". NPR. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
"Diversity Of Amber Guyger Murder Trial Jury Seen As Key Factor In Conviction". CBS News. October 4, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
Clarraidge, Emerson (October 22, 2019). "Former Dallas officer Amber Guyger's defense files notice to appeal murder conviction". Fort Worth Star Telegram. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
Jacabo, Julia (October 22, 2019). "Attorney for convicted wrong-apartment shooter Amber Guyger files notice of appeal". NBC News. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
"Attorneys for former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger file appeal in Botham Jean murder case". CNN. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
Guyger v. State, No. 05-19-01236-CR (Tex. App. August 5, 2021).
"Appeals court upholds murder conviction of ex-Dallas officer". August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
Guyger v. State, No. 05-19-01236-CR (Tex. App. November 17, 2021).
Prosser, Maggie (November 18, 2021). "Dallas appeals court again upholds Amber Guyger's conviction for the murder of Botham Jean". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved November 18, 2021. "That she was mistaken as to Jean's status as a resident in his own apartment or a burglar in hers does not change her mental state from intentional or knowing to criminally negligent," the justices wrote. The justices made a similar statement in their ruling on her first appeal.
Guyger v. State, 653 S.W.3d 123 (Tex. Crim. App. March 30, 2022).
"Court upholds conviction, sentence of Amber Guyger, ex-Dallas officer who murdered Botham Jean". Dallas News. March 30, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
"Texas Department of Criminal Justice Offender Search". Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
Keller, Aaron (August 6, 2021). "Texas Court of Appeals Upholds Ex-Cop Amber Guyger's Conviction for Murdering Botham Jean in His Apartment". Dan Abrams. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
Myers, Doug; Hudson, Giles (October 11, 2024). "Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger denied parole for Botham Jean murder - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
Smith, LaVendrick; Emily, Jennifer; Jaramillo, Cassandra; Branham, Dana (September 24, 2019). "Police treated Amber Guyger special on night of shooting, prosecutor argues". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved February 18, 2025. Officers can terminate a recording when there is no likelihood of "anything else evidentiary or law enforcement value occurring." It is a violation of the department's general orders for "an officer to fail to activate the body worn camera or intentionally terminate a recording in order to commit a violation of the department policy or law."
Briggs, Shakari (June 17, 2021). "Abbott signs Botham Jean Act into law, increasing police accountability". Spectrum News 1 Austin. Austin, Texas. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
Rabb, Shaun (October 3, 2019). "Dallas Police Association president denies any wrongdoing in Amber Guyger case". KDFW. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
Branham, Dana (July 28, 2020). "Grand jury declines to indict Dallas Police Association president, who faced tampering allegations in Guyger case". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
Jacobo, Julia (January 31, 2019). "Neighbor who filmed wrong apartment shooting aftermath says she's had death threats". ABC News. Retrieved October 6, 2019. Bunny said her employer let her go, explaining that they "didn't want their company associated with a high-profile case."... ABC News could not independently confirm her claims that she was fired, or, if so, why.
"Joshua Brown, Prosecution Witness In Amber Guyger Murder Trial, Fatally Shot At Dallas Apartment Complex". CBS News. October 5, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
Wagtendonk, Anya van (October 6, 2019). "Joshua Brown, a key witness in the murder trial against Amber Guyger, was fatally shot". Vox.
Dwilson, Stephanie Dube (October 6, 2019). "Joshua Brown Shot About 5 Miles from South Side Flats, Where Botham Jean Lived".
"Witness in Guyger Trial Shot, Killed Friday Night". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. KXAS-TV. October 7, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
Allyn, Bobby (October 8, 2019). "Dallas Police: Key Witness In Guyger Trial Was Killed In Drug Deal That Turned Deadly". Washington DC: NPR. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
Shammas, Brittany; Thebault, Reis (October 8, 2019). "Police name suspects, deny wrongdoing in death of Amber Guyger witness Joshua Brown". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
"Second arrest made in murder of witness in Amber Guyger murder trial". NBC News. October 9, 2019.
"3 men indicted on capital murder charges in slaying of Joshua Brown, witness in Amber Guyger's trial". Dallas News. December 8, 2019.
Snyder, Rachel; Sullivan, Cole (November 20, 2024). "Amber Guyger ordered to pay Botham Jean's family more than $98M in damages in civil case". Dallas, Texas: WFAA. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
Bailey, Everton Jr. (January 13, 2021). "Dallas City Council approves renaming street in memory of Botham Jean". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
"87(R) HB 929 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text". capitol.texas.gov. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
