GUILTY TX - Former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger, indicted for Murder of Botham Shem Jean #8

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[AllyBeeUK]

I value his life very much. I believe this young man would have gone on to do many wonderful things, much more than AG would have done with her life. I feel that she is a troubled young woman, whether she murdered anyone or not.

Re: btfly547's post above, I didn't realize that she stated that she was a racist??

The only reason I am here, commenting on this case at all is because of how much I value him. I agree with everything you said.

 

[btfly547]

Are you sure? I thought that I heard on the news that the reporter said that she would not be eligible for parole. I took that to mean early release.

From what I understand this is effectively a 5-year sentence, not ten at all.
It's up to the parole board in 5 years.

Amber's a woman, a white woman at that, first offender and a cop. She will be out before Christmas of 2024 or very soon after.

 

[sloane7777]

I value his life.

A lot of us do the jury though ....sigh.

 

[kaen]

Mr. Jean encountered a person who thinks like this (see below). Whether or not she killed him because of his color, she certainly had a disregard for some of her brothers in blue and others who were not in her circle and that is dangerous.

From CNN, just so I have the texts right (Guyger's offensive text messages are introduced at her sentencing - CNN):
In one chain of text messages between Guyger and others, they lamented having to work the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in January 2015.
A person in the chain asked of the parade, "When does this end lol."
Guyger replied, "When MLK is dead...oh wait..."

In a March 9, 2018, exchange of text messages with a married officer and her former police partner, Martin Rivera, with whom Guyger was having a sexual relationship, she mocked black officers.
"Damn I was at this area with 5 different black officers !!! Not racists but damn," Rivera wrote.
"Not racist but just have a different way of working and it shows," Guyger replied.

 

[turaj]

Are you sure? I thought that I heard on the news that the reporter said that she would not be eligible for parole. I took that to mean early release.

I kept hearing that too but now this is what everyone is saying...not sure why it is not more clear. I would feel better if it was a solid 10 years.

 

[Weki]

The people who are so bothered by everyone not being completely on the forgiveness and compassion bandwagon want to whitewash the very real issues that this case is stirring up. Saying people are hateful is nothing more than projection. They are the hateful ones. They want to silence and repress anyone who disagrees with their worldview.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Following a rally for Botham Jean, the 26-year-old killed by Guyger in his own apartment more than a year ago, crowds of protesters marched along streets lined with police and chanted, “No justice, no peace!” Prosecutors inside the courtroom had asked that the former Dallas officer get a sentence no shorter than 28 years, representing how old Jean would be today had he not been killed. But, instead, she was given a decade.

In videos of the protests taken by the Star-Telegram, there are rising tensions in the streets between civilians and police officers, who were announcing through speakers, “Please exit the roadway.”
https://www.star-telegram.com/latest-news/article235756202.html/video-embed
A woman in a red shirt was walking toward the middle of the street, slowly and with a raised fist, the video shows. Suddenly, officers grabbed at her and tried to pull her to the ground as she tried to run away.

More officers swarmed her, and then civilians, amid the screams and chaos. Officers eventually threw her to the ground in the middle of the street and handcuffed her.

“This is why we hate you!” one person could be heard screaming.

“Let her go!” another shouted.

Dominique Alexander, the leader of the Next Generation Action Network, said the black community is outraged.

“Why give a murder conviction and then 10 years?” he said.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article235763597.html

*click sound icon on.

 

[btfly547]

Mr. Jean encountered a person who thinks like this (see below). Whether or not she killed him because of his color, she certainly had a disregard for some of her brothers in blue and others who were not in her circle and that is dangerous.

From CNN, just so I have the texts right (Guyger's offensive text messages are introduced at her sentencing - CNN):
In one chain of text messages between Guyger and others, they lamented having to work the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in January 2015.
A person in the chain asked of the parade, "When does this end lol."
Guyger replied, "When MLK is dead...oh wait..."

In a March 9, 2018, exchange of text messages with a married officer and her former police partner, Martin Rivera, with whom Guyger was having a sexual relationship, she mocked black officers.
"Damn I was at this area with 5 different black officers !!! Not racists but damn," Rivera wrote.
"Not racist but just have a different way of working and it shows," Guyger replied.

This one from that article as well. Something about a friend offering her a dog and the friend said the dog may be racist or something.

"Although she may be racist," Ethridge wrote.

Guyger responded. "It's okay, I'm the same."

 

[kaen]

I hope we can agree that we do have a serious policing issue in Dallas. As the Police Chief called her force some of the best and brightest, we have this from one of her officers, who apparently was willing to delete messages that were not important to him when as an officer he should have known this material was recoverable and possibly key in a case:

At trial, prosecutors said that even after Guyger killed Jean, she found time to text Rivera and sent sexual messages to him days later.

Rivera testified he deleted the texts between him and Guyger from the night of the shooting,
"That's not something that I would want to be reminded of," Rivera said. "And I don't keep messages saved unless it's of an importance to me." Guyger's offensive text messages are introduced at her sentencing - CNN

 

[Hraefn]

It’s very important to remember the jury instructions on sentencing did not say “what is the value of Botham Jean’s life?” That’s not the issue at sentencing. No one could ever doubt the immeasurable quality of Bo’s character and the positive impact he had on this world. If sentencing guidelines were based on the value of the victim’s life, AG would be facing LWOP easily.

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

I previously posted this; however, I will post again. Although I feel that her texts were in bad taste, I don't think that she said them to be racist. I think that she is immature and lacking judgment. They also prove that she shouldn't be in uniform.

 

[kaen]

Ms. Guyger's words:
“I hate everything and everyone but y’all,” the Post reports. Amber Guyger admits she is racist in various text messages

 

[blue22]

I agree, and I wonder why some posters are still trying to stir the hate up. It's over...finished. move on to a case that deserves all this vitriol.

This, THIS is part of the problem. People can't be angry or shine light on real, systematic issues...without being labeled as hateful. It's very easy to move on if this doesn't impact you. If YOU aren't the one afraid that you'll be the next Botham. If YOU aren't the one that has to watch justice elude your community time and time and time again. If YOU aren't the one that's not allowed to be angry.

It must be nice to just move on. Well, guess what. Some people in this community don't get to that. Will NEVER get to do that. So how about you stop being so bothered by the inconvenience of this and take a look around you. Maybe you will recognize some problems and maybe some of those problems will look a lot like you

 

[Amster]

The Freedom From Religion Foundation on Thursday filed a complaint against Kemp with the Texas state agency that investigates allegations of judicial misconduct.

The Wisconsin-based group said Kemp went too far after Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Guyger was convicted of fatally shooting her neighbor, Botham Jean, in his apartment.

Kemp has also been criticized by activists who wondered whether a black defendant would get the same treatment.
Kemp's Hug Not Embraced by All After Guyger's Trial

Idiots

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

I hope we can agree that we do have a serious policing issue in Dallas. As the Police Chief called her force some of the best and brightest, we have this from one of her officers, who apparently was willing to delete messages that were not important to him when as an officer he should have known this material was recoverable and possibly key in a case:

At trial, prosecutors said that even after Guyger killed Jean, she found time to text Rivera and sent sexual messages to him days later.

Rivera testified he deleted the texts between him and Guyger from the night of the shooting,
"That's not something that I would want to be reminded of," Rivera said. "And I don't keep messages saved unless it's of an importance to me." Guyger's offensive text messages are introduced at her sentencing - CNN

A couple of bad eggs doesn't make the entire police force bad. I do think that AG's behavior shows that she wasn't remorseful in the least. I can't believe that she actually was sexting her married partner a few days after she murdered a guy.

I think that it shows how narcissistic she truly is, IMO. How in the heck would a normal person even be thinking of doing something like this after such a tragic event? Did her partner respond in kind? Surely not. If I were in his position, I would have blocked her number.

Will Martin Rivera face any formal reprimand for having an affair on the job? Surely, there must be some kind of company policy against what they did. I wonder what is going on in his household...

 

[kaen]

I previously posted this; however, I will post again. Although I feel that her texts were in bad taste, I don't think that she said them to be racist. I think that she is immature and lacking judgment. They also prove that she shouldn't be in uniform.

Since none of know what is in her heart, I guess it is up to speculation about her beliefs. We can see this a myriad of ways as that is the beauty of opinions.

I will agree that her actions on the night she killed Mr. Jean were immature, lacked judgment, did not follow the training she received at the department (rendering aid, standing down/taking cover and calling for back-up), careless, acted with disregard to a man dying based on her actions, and were insensitive the wife and children of her partner. IMHO.

 

[Hope4More]

I kept hearing that too but now this is what everyone is saying...not sure why it is not more clear. I would feel better if it was a solid 10 years.

1. She has a 10 year sentence for committing what Texas law terms a "3g" offense.

2. Those convicted of a 3g offense must serve "at least" 50% of their sentence before they are eligible for parole.

3. So, Amber will be eligible for parole in approximately 5 years.

4. Being eligible for parole in 5 doesn't necessarily mean she'll be out in 5 years. But.....given everything, and especially if the Jeans don't oppose her parole/actually advocate for her release, it's a good bet she will be out in 5. imo.

 

[blue22]

A couple of bad eggs doesn't make the entire police force bad. I do think that AG's behavior shows that she wasn't remorseful in the least. I can't believe that she actually was sexting her married partner a few days after she murdered a guy.

I think that it shows how narcissistic she truly is, IMO. How in the heck would a normal person even be thinking of doing something like this after such a tragic event? Did her partner respond in kind? Surely not. If I were in his position, I would have blocked her number.

Will Martin Rivera face any formal reprimand for having an affair on the job? Surely, there must be some kind of company policy against what they did. I wonder what is going on in his household...

The DPD has had pervasive and documented problems for a very long time. The force really does need drastic restructuring and reform. It has for decades. I doubt anything will happen with Rivera.

 

[AllyBeeUK]

A lot of us do the jury though ....sigh.

I don't know why the jury gave her that sentence, I don't suppose we will ever hear from them so we will probably never know. I can understand why people may feel the way they do but any hatred and abuse being dished out is mostly misdirected. I don't claim to be perfect and I am always willing to learn and change, but to do that I think we all have to listen to each other and be kind.

I don't know how many people reading will have heard of Stephen Lawrence? He was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack in London in 1993. His family fought for years to bring the murderers to justice. As a result of their ongoing activism an investigation was launched into the handling of the case in 1997 which resulted in the McPherson Report. The report included recommendations aimed at improving law enforcement procedures and led to major reforms within the police and a strengthening of the Race Relations Act. It also resulted in abolishment of the double jeopardy law.

Let me be clear this should not be their life's work. Stephen should still be here, as should Botham but, if we can stop drawing lines between ourselves and picking sides we might be able to move forward to a better place. If we keep deepening these voids between us, whether they are based on race, religion or politics, the only thing we can guarantee is that more people will be killed.