GUILTY TX - Former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger, indicted for Murder of Botham Shem Jean #7

[Hraefn]

Snipped and reposted for emphasis. This is especially saddening after it was revealed yesterday that Amber has admitted to smoking marijuana on more than one occasion as well.
This protecting their own has to stop.

I'm in healthcare and we don't have this type of thing where we "stick together no matter what". A large reason for that is probably because we are each on our own if a lawsuit happens where we are clearly at fault. A lot of us carry personal liability insurance because we know our personal livelihood is at risk for making mistakes. Somehow I think because the city is usually sued instead of them individually and that they have these associations to pay for lawyers, that the personal responsibility is just not where I think it should be.

A statement about a small amount of marijuana after someone has been murdered, and released on the day of his funeral should never happen. Everyone knows that no one will lose their job, they won't be individually sued and that the police chief will more than likely support them leads to things like this.

IMO LEOs should be required to have a type of “malpractice” insurance for lack of a better term. I’ve felt this way for a long time. IMO the main reason victims sue the PD instead of the individual is because individual officers generally have no assets. Imagine this system in place in other fields!!!

 

[NervousNellie]

Although the texts, her social media, and past behavior speak very badly of her character, if I were on the jury the biggest factor that would sway me towards a harsher sentence are her actions, or really lack thereof, in the aftermath of the shooting. Failure to render aid despite having life-saving items in her backpack, no real CPR, more concern for herself, texting her partner, etc. If I were on the jury, I'd go with 10 years.

I totally agree with you up until you get to her sentence... And yesterday, I would have agreed with that, but then I read posts discussing how she would likely only serve a third of the sentence, so I'm hoping she will get 30, assuming she would actually serve 10. I also hope she never gets to carry a weapon.

 

[TristanP]

I'm really surprised the Prosecution agreed to the "sudden passion." Jean did not provoke Guyger.

Perhaps it should be called “sudden perceived passion” lol

 

[AllyBeeUK]

Watching the testimony from Botham's mom was hard to hear and I took a break from the sentencing yesterday. I was talking to my mom about trials and how the general public understands very little about how police departments go through their hiring process and that few know the off-color humor most officers have to deal with the stress of the calls we see.

I hate that this is going to come off as defending AG, but there are plenty of anonymous officer SM accounts you guys can peruse that will show very similar memes. Cops have weird humor. We see a dead body and then ask who wants to get scrambled eggs for breakfast. It sounds extremely rude to the general public. It's stress management. It's finding a way to go to the next one.

Also, using the previous departments who didn't hire her . . . her defense team SHOULD have an easy time explaining by using any major department's hiring practices. Failing a polygraph could be as simple as lying about drug use instead of admitting. It's counter-intuitive. You go in and admit to everything. They aren't there to prosecute; they want to know you'll tell the Dept the truth.

Yes, in the UK we call it 'gallows humour'. My police officer dad used to say to me "I have to laugh about these things or it will kill me." I've never heard him say anything racist though, or joke about shooting anyone. Even now 10 years retired he is still very aware of what he says and does. I think that might be the difference between an upstanding police officer who really respects their position and responsibility, and one who just does the job.

 

[Jeremy Bentham]

This is precisely why I have issue with the whole situation. Unless she was impaired by drugs, alcohol, or some time of head injury, it’s not reasonable to believe she didn’t know it was not her apartment.

And even if I chose to believe that she really thought it was her apartment, the fact that someone was there should have made her immediately question if she had the wrong apartment rather than immediately assuming there was an intruder in her apartment and killing him.

She’s a police officer, trained to be observant, yet she missed clue after clue that she was entering the wrong apartment? Not believable to me.

I can't find the post with a picture of the parking garage in AG's apartment building. The parking spots are on a ramp and depending on where you park, it is quite possible you walk onto the wrong floor.

Shortly before parking, AG had a 16 minute phone call with her partner. I think he blew off her booty call and she was seething when she parked her truck and walked to what she thought was her apartment. She gets to her apartment and finds the door ajar. In her amped-up state she thinks someone's broken into her apartment and decides to kill whoever was inside. This was evidenced by her un-holstering her weapon before she entered JB's apartment. The part about trying her key in the door is probably made up.

This is what I think happened.

 

[grammieto5]

Oh wow judge is crying too! Did you all see her turn around and wipe her face with a tissue??

Me too

 

[sloane7777]

Dad is testifying and he alone might make her get 50 years this is really hard to watch , anyone not totally affected by this is a stone cold person.

 

[MTW2011]

I can't find the post with a picture of the parking garage in AG's apartment building. The parking spots are on a ramp and depending on where you park, it is quite possible you walk onto the wrong floor.

Shortly before parking, AG had a 16 minute phone call with her partner. I think he blew off her booty call and she was seething when she parked her truck and walked to what she thought was her apartment. She gets to her apartment and finds the door ajar. In her amped-up state she thinks someone's broken into her apartment and decides to kill whoever was inside. This was evidenced by her un-holstering her weapon before she entered JB's apartment. The part about trying her key in the door is probably made up.

This is what I think happened.

Just curious - with this scenario, how does she get inside his apartment? Did Botham really not shut his door completely and didn’t notice? I don’t feel like that is very likely but JMO.

 

[Jeremy Bentham]

IMO LEOs should be required to have a type of “malpractice” insurance for lack of a better term. I’ve felt this way for a long time. IMO the main reason victims sue the PD instead of the individual is because individual officers generally have no assets. Imagine this system in place in other fields!!!

Wholeheartedly agree with this statement. We seem to be lacking personal responsibility here because the thinking is that the herd will protect them.

 

[Weki]

Defense team is dying inside with every witness and every tear. How the heck are they going to mitigate any of this? If they put her on the stand after these witnesses, she'll hang herself.

 

[dog.gone.cute]

I can't find the post with a picture of the parking garage in AG's apartment building. The parking spots are on a ramp and depending on where you park, it is quite possible you walk onto the wrong floor.

Shortly before parking, AG had a 16 minute phone call with her partner. I think he blew off her booty call and she was seething when she parked her truck and walked to what she thought was her apartment. She gets to her apartment and finds the door ajar. In her amped-up state she thinks someone's broken into her apartment and decides to kill whoever was inside. This was evidenced by her un-holstering her weapon before she entered JB's apartment. The part about trying her key in the door is probably made up.

This is what I think happened.

BBM: Just jumping off your post here ... JMO but I think she put the key in the door AFTER she shot and killed Botham.

I have trouble understanding WHY put a key in the lcok if the door is ajar? Makes no sense, IMO.

MOO

 

[Jeremy Bentham]

Just curious - with this scenario, how does she get inside his apartment? Did Botham really not shut his door completely and didn’t notice? I don’t feel like that is very likely but JMO.

Yes, the lock was broken/non-functional and the door may have been slightly ajar.

 

[Cortne]

I just cant

Oh Amber, why did you ruin so many lives? Hope she gets max!!

 

[Mormon Attorney]

Dad is testifying and he alone might make her get 50 years this is really hard to watch , anyone not totally affected by this is a stone cold person.

Dad reflects the great love in this family like all the other family members. I feel like I know Botham through all these beautiful testimonies. This family is amazing. I hurt for them.

 

[blue22]

I'm really surprised the Prosecution agreed to the "sudden passion." Jean did not provoke Guyger.

I'm not. I'm sure they'd love to pick that apart and make them look ridiculous. They've done that clinically this whole trial.

 

[grammieto5]

Man I tell y'all there's just something about a guy crying, just rips me apart inside

 

[Jeremy Bentham]

BBM: Just jumping off your post here ... JMO but I think she put the key in the door AFTER she shot and killed Botham.

I have trouble understanding WHY put a key in the lcok if the door is ajar? Makes no sense, IMO.

MOO

I think she saw the door was slightly open and pushed it open all the way, shot Botham and realized her mistake.
She then made up the story that she got to her apartment, tried her key in the door, the door swung open (as it was not locked), she saw Botham and mistaking him for a burglar, shot him.

 

[NervousNellie]

Dad is testifying and he alone might make her get 50 years this is really hard to watch , anyone not totally affected by this is a stone cold person.

My gosh, I'm tearing up and I'm just reading the posts here!

 

[Weki]

Here we go.... defense calling Karen Guyger. Is that the mother?

 

[Seattle1]

so per this link if the jury finds that Guyger killed Jean in "sudden passion" it's considered a 2nd degree felony which would be a reduced sentence of 2 to 20 years:
Texas Penal Code § 19.02 | FindLaw
(2) “Sudden passion” means passion directly caused by and arising out of provocation by the individual killed or another acting with the person killed which passion arises at the time of the offense and is not solely the result of former provocation.
(d) At the punishment stage of a trial, the defendant may raise the issue as to whether he caused the death under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause.  If the defendant proves the issue in the affirmative by a preponderance of the evidence, the offense is a felony of the second degree.

Interesting -- 2nd degree felony is equivalent of manslaughter where punishment ranges 2-20 years.