GUILTY TX - Former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger, indicted for Murder of Botham Shem Jean #6

[YESorNO]

5 key moments so far in Amber Guyger's murder trial for killing Botham Jean

Sep 28, 2019

"The murder trial of Amber Guyger, the one-time police officer who fatally shot Botham Jean in his Dallas apartment last year, will resume Monday.

So far during the trial, jurors have heard from officers who were called to the scene that night and watched them perform CPR on Jean.
The jury has listened to testimony from neighbors and an investigator about how common it was for residents to wind up on the wrong floor of the South Side Flats apartments where Guyger and Jean lived.

They've heard the 911 call Guyger made after she shot Jean, and they heard from the former officer herself.

Here are five key moments in the trial so far since it began Sept. 23...."

5 key moments so far in Amber Guyger's murder trial for killing Botham Jean

 

[Via Marple]

Yes. That's right. if it was a reasonable mistake, that would be a defense. Example of reasonable mistake? She entered into an apartment right next door to hers, same floor, looks identical, except for a flower pot that had been in front of her door which was somehow moved in front of the neighbor's by accident.

Unreasonable? Wrong floor, parking garage level is totally different, long hallway with brightly lit apartment numbers that all indicate NUMBER FOUR, apartment has a large, bright red floor mat while hers does not. Her home has a large baker's rack in front of the entry. His does not. Etc.

That was almost comical. The prosecutor asked her about taking the training, and she confirmed she did. Then he asked what she learned , and she couldn't remember. When he asked ''You don't remember what you learned?" She replied, ''well no, it was a couple of years ago.'' The prosecutor then said " Isn't the point of the training to learn about the subject matter, and then remember it so you can use the information while on the job????"

That wasn't exactly what was said but you get the idea.

She must not have remembered her CPR training either if she thought you could do it with one hand, every once in awhile, while doing other things.

Or what compression bandages are for since she 'didn't think of it', even though she had one in her bag.

Heck, she couldn't even remember that carrying on with a married man was morally wrong (her words), since she kept doing it.

And she was on the loose with a gun? Too bad she didn't forget how to use it.

I find it hard to believe too, she could remember where 'her' apartment was located relative to the hallway (think she said she looked at the railings on the left - so that she wouldn't end up at 1476 for example). But nothing else in the hallway that she noticed, not the doors, the numbers, the doormats, the plants....

That kind of selective memory is unbelievable.

I know @Weki sounds like raising some conspiracy theory, about her deliberately entering that apartment. But it does make you wonder...!!? What a random coincidence it happened that way that night.

 

[Mickey Mouse]

Maybe... She was *very* angry after the phone call, so angry that when she got to the apartment she saw the red doormat and thought (in a rage), "who put that damned mat here?" Then the door pushed open, she saw Botham, she was already in a rage, and she shot immediately. Then she realizes what she's done, panics and goes into survival mode, thinks about what would happen when/if he is able to testify, knows neighbors certainly heard the shot, decided to slow-walk assistance as much as she reasonably can, leading to her calling 911 instead of using her radio and not giving any sort of aid.

Thoughts?

The more I ponder the testimony, the more I think she couldn't possibly have missed everything she claims to have missed. But if she were in full on rage mode, she could have seen the mat, even smelled the weed and noticed some of the differences in the apartments, but attributed it to someone messing with her. "What the hell did he do to my apartment? Broke in and made himself at home?"

For what it's worth, I do know someone who had a homeless guy break into his apartment and move in while he was away on vacation.

And thinking about her testimony, her answers on cross just don't strike me as what someone who innocently made a horrible mistake would say. If it truly was an accident, I think she would have pushed back more. Not to mention shown more real emotion instead of fake crying.

 

[Weki]

I sounds like whatever the 16 mins convo was about Rivera was set to arrive that evening. Cause she texted him “hurry” after she shot Botham. I also initially thought she was upset/angry over the phone call but I’m not sure that’s the case anymore. State seems to be alleging that she was so horny and distracted by Rivera’s impending arrival and that’s why she missed all the cues.

So in a nutshell this man lost his life because an aggressive cowgirl was extremely horny that day. And apparently her desire was so great it overrode her fear when she sees “her” door unlocked and suspects a burglar(s) is inside. Her desire remained at the same peak even after she shot at Botham bc all she could think of was to text Rivera. Instead of rendering aid. And a couple days later she was still chasing Rivera and this incident had no impact on the relationship.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I think she made a horrible mistake that night and went to the wrong floor and apartment completely by accident. I think she was very distracted by the phone call and texts with MR. I completely believe her story. My armchair psychologist analysis is that she was a very young, immature, and insecure woman who desperately needed something more from this older, more senior officer. But he wasn't having it. Perhaps that is what the content of the phone call was about. She was so upset, that she went to the wrong apartment and failed to notice to even the bright red floor mat, let alone all of the other sensory clues. I believe she put her key in, I believe the door was unlocked and ajar, and opened just like she said.

After this point, however, I don't believe the scene played out like she said. I think BJ was startled when she came in, he started to stand and yelled, and she pulled out her gun and shot him immediately. Maybe she even said "show your hands" but she certainly never gave BJ a chance to react before she simply blew him away. She was never in any danger from BJ. She failed to act reasonably as a police officer. She failed to act reasonably as a citizen gun owner. She is guilty as sin of murder.

I really don't think there is anything more to it than that.

 

[turaj]

Boy have not read each and every post but it seems to me she has earned little sympathy here and probably from the jury. I do believe that she thought it was her apartment...but she deserves many years in prison for everything that happened after that...I think the prosecution has done an excellent cross and in fact used many of her witnesses to prove their point. The defense put up a series of witnesses that went to the wrong apartment...I think we all agree that can happen but that last question on cross...did you shoot and kill the people or they you? Defense did all the work for state. It appears now after Sat. they really have no case. As a police officer it was just a matter of time before she injured or killed someone in line of duty...she is a sad example of a police officer...and human being. I sincerely hope she is escorted out of that courtroom by armed guards and taken to prison.

 

[turaj]

Only danger of not guilty verdict would be one hold out and I sure hope that does not happen.

 

[NervousNellie]

I think she made a horrible mistake that night and went to the wrong floor and apartment completely by accident. I think she was very distracted by the phone call and texts with MR. I completely believe her story. My armchair psychologist analysis is that she was a very young, immature, and insecure woman who desperately needed something more from this older, more senior officer. But he wasn't having it. Perhaps that is what the content of the phone call was about. She was so upset, that she went to the wrong apartment and failed to notice to even the bright red floor mat, let alone all of the other sensory clues. I believe she put her key in, I believe the door was unlocked and ajar, and opened just like she said.

After this point, however, I don't believe the scene played out like she said. I think BJ was startled when she came in, he started to stand and yelled, and she pulled out her gun and shot him immediately. Maybe she even said "show your hands" but she certainly never gave BJ a chance to react before she simply blew him away. She was never in any danger from BJ. She failed to act reasonably as a police officer. She failed to act reasonably as a citizen gun owner. She is guilty as sin of murder.

I really don't think there is anything more to it than that.

This is exactly what I think as well. No wonder I always like your posts.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Boy have not read each and every post but it seems to me she has earned little sympathy here and probably from the jury. I do believe that she thought it was her apartment...but she deserves many years in prison for everything that happened after that...I think the prosecution has done an excellent cross and in fact used many of her witnesses to prove their point. The defense put up a series of witnesses that went to the wrong apartment...I think we all agree that can happen but that last question on cross...did you shoot and kill the people or they you? Defense did all the work for state. It appears now after Sat. they really have no case. As a police officer it was just a matter of time before she injured or killed someone in line of duty...she is a sad example of a police officer...and human being. I sincerely hope she is escorted out of that courtroom by armed guards and taken to prison.

I actually do feel really sorry for her. She has lost everything - her job, her identity, everything she has worked for. The fact she was able to become a police officer in the first place is so messed up - the whole system failed here. Was there just a push to get more female officers so they accepted her? Why was she not weeded out? I hope DPD does a thorough review.

Don't misunderstand, I am not absolving her of her many wrongdoings. I think she should be convicted and sent to prison. She should never be able to be anywhere near guns again, she should never be able to so much as be a security guard. She should spend the rest of her life making restitution to Mr. Jean's family. But I do feel sorry for her. I can't imagine how it must feel to wake up everyday knowing you (in her words) f*'ed up so badly.

 

[iluvmua]

Only danger of not guilty verdict would be one hold out and I sure hope that does not happen.

She's going to be found guilty of something, I just don't think it is going to be murder.

Jmo

 

[iluvmua]

I actually do feel really sorry for her. She has lost everything - her job, her identity, everything she has worked for. The fact she was able to become a police officer in the first place is so messed up - the whole system failed here. Was there just a push to get more female officers so they accepted her? Why was she not weeded out? I hope DPD does a thorough review.

Don't misunderstand, I am not absolving her of her many wrongdoings. I think she should be convicted and sent to prison. She should never be able to be anywhere near guns again, she should never be able to so much as be a security guard. She should spend the rest of her life making restitution to Mr. Jean's family. But I do feel sorry for her. I can't imagine how it must feel to wake up everyday knowing you (in her words) f*'ed up so badly.

I agree. I do feel sorry for her as well.

I do feel that she made a terrible decision that night that I am sure she regrets making every day.

I do feel that she does have some sense of remorse and I do believe her when she was on the stand and said she never meant to kill an innocent person.

But I do not think this jury is going to feel so sorry for her that they find her not guilty on all charges (which is what her lawyers want).

The jury will imo, probably vote for manslaughter but they very well could find her guilty of murder too.

Jmo

 

[turaj]

I think it should be murder given her point blank statement that she intended to kill Botham Jean. I started out with some sympathy for her but it got erased as I listened to everything she did after she killed him. The thoughts mentioned in a post above about maybe filling a quota for women in the force could well be true...we had a similar situation in Minneapolis whereby there was a push for Somali officers and Mohammed Noor was fast tracked and never had the proper training or temperament for being a police officer and Justine Damond is dead...he did not go out that night to kill her but he did and got convicted. Again his actions after did him in.

 

[Weki]

All my sympathy remains with Botham Jean’s family. It’s clear to me that AG is incapable of any empathy for them and is therefore undeserving herself. Certainly, she had no empathy for Botham Jean after she shot him. I can’t imagine what they will feel if the sentence is a slap on the wrist.

 

[Wishbone]

No. You don't have to believe he was coming at her aggressively if you believe she thought it was her apartment.

The state is pretty clear that they understand she was mistaken. There's really nothing to indicate she knew where she was. The whole issue is that her mistake was not reasonable. It was due to all-consuming distraction according to the state. I think she could've been totally irate and thus not paying attention and recklessly lashed out angrily, without calling for back up, because she is hot-tempered and likes to be a cowboy.

It's really all about what the evidence will show or not show though. IMO the evidence does not show she knew it was NOT her place. I was open to that at first but I think if it did the state would've have allowed for that possibility in their opening and questioning. They did not. IMO, the evidence supports her contention that she was mistaken about where she was.

I think it also shows that her mistake was not a reasonable one, because she was dangerously distracted while carrying a loaded weapon. (Originally I thought maybe she was high or drunk and I still think exhaustion could have played a part, but the state is not going the exhaustion route).

IMO the evidence also shows that her conduct in immediately pulling her gun and shooting Botham Jean because she thought he was an intruder, was totally unreasonable. The forensics show he was shot at a downward angle somewhat, so either standing up or crouching. Not standing or running toward her. It appears he fell near his couch. The state is clear he was on his couch eating ice cream when she entered and she shot him in a second. He was not near her when he was shot.

The evidence showed that the police protocol is not to enter if you think an intruder is inside, but to call for back up first. The evidence showed that the police protocol is not to engage with and shoot an intruder, but to retreat and call for back up first. Had she done so, had she followed police protocol, she would have realized her mistake about her apartment and Bo Jean would still be alive. That's why her failure to follow protocol renders her mistake as to his identity (as an intruder), an wholly unreasonable one.

As the state said in their opening, she repeated 19 times on the 911 call, "I thought it was my apartment." She said this before she had a chance to think up a story. She said nothing in those first excited moments about him coming at her or her perceiving him as a threat. That came much later when she had time to embellish. That's why some of her statements are more credible than others.

This is a case that ended differently, the cop resigned after the incident


UT assistant police chief resigns after neighbors say he pulled gun on them

"Lambert said he thought someone must have broken into his new house and were inside stealing some items," Ross wrote in his report.

But it wasn't his garage. It was that of Valerie Slowik, who had just come outside with her 10-year-old daughter. They were about to leave when Slowik said Lambert — a stranger in plainclothes — got out of his car, walked into her garage, pulled out a handgun and began yelling at her.

"What the (expletive) are you doing here? This is my (expletive) house," she quoted Lambert as saying, describing him as "psychotic" and "manic."

Slowik tried to tell Lambert her family had lived there for two years, according to the report, but he didn't believe her. Slowik's husband heard the noise and came outside with their 11-year-old child to find a man holding a pistol.

Lambert continued to argue with the family, telling them, "I'm a cop, this is my house," until one of the children started to scream, the report states. Lambert then realized his mistake, backed out of the garage and apologized before leaving the area.

UT assistant police chief resigns after neighbors say he pulled gun on them

 

[turaj]

She is amazing...""he was a little bit conscious" and she did "a little cpr"....this is a trained experienced police officer!! She never asks about him at all...just swears and bemoans her own situation...all about her...any sympathy that she garnered early on is gone as you see her behavior after. Intention is not important here...but she intended to kill him at the time she shot him. Never expressed concern for him..in fact made sure she did not have to look at the body as he was taken away...busy texting.

 

[Wishbone]

She shot him because she felt he was an intruder. And I guess yeah, any intruder is a threat to anyone who comes across them. But she saw him. It was clear he was unarmed. Initial statements are not that he came at her in an aggressive manner.

And the whole point is she failed to follow protocols which would have reduced any threat an intruder poses- retreat and call for back up. It's clear to me at least based in neighbor's testimony that she didn't even warn him. And now that I recall her testimony, she testified she realized the door was somewhat open, and so she pulled out her service revolver and then pushed open the door. That was not reasonable under the circumstances. I believe she instantly shot him when she saw him. Trigger happy. Totally unreasonable.

Just a thought. At first, she may have thought she was at her own apartment, but being "Jane Wayne" she wasn't about to call for back up and look weak to her coworkers. She had a gun and knew how to use it as well as any of the men she worked with even though a criminal had previously taken her taser from her. Not a small embarrassment. And when she entered that apartment and saw Botham getting up she realized her mistake but had to shoot him to save face for being mistaken.

 

[justme11]

I actually do feel really sorry for her. She has lost everything - her job, her identity, everything she has worked for. The fact she was able to become a police officer in the first place is so messed up - the whole system failed here. Was there just a push to get more female officers so they accepted her? Why was she not weeded out? I hope DPD does a thorough review.

Don't misunderstand, I am not absolving her of her many wrongdoings. I think she should be convicted and sent to prison. She should never be able to be anywhere near guns again, she should never be able to so much as be a security guard. She should spend the rest of her life making restitution to Mr. Jean's family. But I do feel sorry for her. I can't imagine how it must feel to wake up everyday knowing you (in her words) f*'ed up so badly.

I think I felt bad for her a little bit until I learned that while Mr. Jean's family was probably planning a funeral, she was texting her partner and whoever else about getting drunk.

 

[Nadi]

I think it’s most likely she went to the wrong apartment accidentally but that it’s possible she went there intentionally for whatever reason, however I think it was extremely smart of the prosecution to accept her assertion that she went there accidentally. I think proving she went there intentionally would be much difficult to prove and if that was the focus of the trial it would not have gone so well for the prosecution. Instead by accepting her assertion that she went there accidentally the entire focus has been on whether that is reasonable. That has been much easier for the prosecution to (IMO) prove effectively and much easier for them to discount her Defense.

I think the Defense was handcuffed and had no choice but to put her on the stand. To make it less about what a trained Cop should have done in that situation and more about what this poor scared female would have done when confronted by a big scary man in her apartment. To change the perception of what was reasonable in that situation.

I don’t buy into her Defense, I think she’s actually a pretty terrible person and I think most of her regret is self centred. IMO reasonable ended the second she opened that door. Accident or not nothing she did after that was reasonable and certainly nothing she did after she she shot an innocent person was what a reasonable person who cared about anyone but themselves would do.

 

[turaj]

just re-watching end of her testimony...that prosecutor is REALLY GOOD...I mean I would want him on my team.

 

[turaj]

I think it’s most likely she went to the wrong apartment accidentally but that it’s possible she went there intentionally for whatever reason, however I think it was extremely smart of the prosecution to accept her assertion that she went there accidentally. I think proving she went there intentionally would be much difficult to prove and if that was the focus of the trial it would not have gone so well for the prosecution. Instead by accepting her assertion that she went there accidentally the entire focus has been on whether that is reasonable. That has been much easier for the prosecution to (IMO) prove effectively and much easier for them to discount her Defense.

I think the Defense was handcuffed and had no choice but to put her on the stand. To make it less about what a trained Cop should have done in that situation and more about what this poor scared female would have done when confronted by a big scary man in her apartment. To change the perception of what was reasonable in that situation.

I don’t buy into her Defense, I think she’s actually a pretty terrible person and I think most of her regret is self centred. IMO reasonable ended the second she opened that door. Accident or not nothing she did after that was reasonable and certainly nothing she did after she she shot an innocent person was what a reasonable person who cared about anyone but themselves would do.

I have watched most of this trial and do not see one shred of evidence that leads me to think that she went there intentionally...no way. If I have missed something please point it out. Way too much effort by some to make this about race or some other relationship. Again if I have missed an important connection I would welcome the info.