TX - Former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger, indicted for Murder of Botham Shem Jean #4

[BeachSky]

Drug usage is CERTAINLY relevant in this case. It could explain why the door was left ajar. It could explain why he didn't respond to clear commands.

In case you forgot SHE (made a mistake and) was in his castle.

It’s like she got on the freeway going the wrong way
& ran head on into a guy & killed him.
You can’t blame the deceased guy for any of it.


MOO

 

[Handsome Sailor]

the search warrant was for a marijuana grinder and 10.4 grams of marijuana, according to cbs47 local tv in dallas. 10.4 grams is a lot of dope, based on pictures I see online. plus, cops are regularly drug tested. I wish this incident hadn't happened, like everyone else. but I am bringing up salient facts that will be brought out at trial, and not acknowledging them is simply burying your head in the sand...now I will cease and let everyone continue digging their very deep sand holes

 

[rosesfromangels]

the search warrant was for a marijuana grinder and 10.4 grams of marijuana, according to cbs47 local tv in dallas. 10.4 grams is a lot of dope, based on pictures I see online. plus, cops are regularly drug tested. I wish this incident hadn't happened, like everyone else. but I am bringing up salient facts that will be brought out at trial, and not acknowledging them is simply burying your head in the sand...now I will cease and let everyone continue digging their very deep sand holes

Here’s a visual to help put this in perspective. It doesn’t look like that much to me. This would be less than 1/2 an ounce if I am reading this correctly.
What Does One Gram of Cannabis Look Like? A Visual Guide to Cannabis Quantities

Don’t partake myself, so truly amateur opinion and speculation

 

[gitana1]

A blood sample was taken from Guyger after the shooting by Dallas police investigators, but it could take months before the results of the toxicology report are returned, Merritt said.

“However, the information we’ve received at this time seem to indicate that she was not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol,” Merritt said. “Therefore if she’s sober going to that door and missing all of those multitude of markers including the fact that she was on the wrong floor and entering an apartment that was not hers, then it’s difficult to buy that narrative.”
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/dallas/article218154635.html

But when was that blood sample taken. After doesn't narrow it.

I'm curious.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

the search warrant was for a marijuana grinder and 10.4 grams of marijuana, according to cbs47 local tv in dallas. 10.4 grams is a lot of dope, based on pictures I see online. plus, cops are regularly drug tested. I wish this incident hadn't happened, like everyone else. but I am bringing up salient facts that will be brought out at trial, and not acknowledging them is simply burying your head in the sand...now I will cease and let everyone continue digging their very deep sand holes

What did they find in the search of her apartment?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

What did they find in the search of her apartment?

Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know. I’m not even sure if that’s legal or SOP. Plenty of pros around here to school us. (ThankU) What circumstances would lead to a search of her residence? And how/why to difference as to the search of a regular joe/jane on the block doing the same thing that night?

 

[mickey2942]

But when was that blood sample taken. After doesn't narrow it.

I'm curious.

I have zero confidence in the chain of custody regarding the samples taken from AG. Or the method, or even the timing.

This entire situation has been handled from the beginning like a cluster of keystone cops managing the scene to create a narrative to protect the "Thin Blue Line". From letting AG go home, to not doing a proper Search of her apartment, to not charging her.

"Oh sure, you thought that this was your apartment, so you shot the guy. Bad that. Go ahead and go home, see you tomorrow.".

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Here is a timeline based on Dallas Morning News reporting of the developments and documents released in the case as it makes its way through the criminal justice system:

Sept. 6

Guyger shoots Jean once in the chest about 10 p.m. in his apartment at South Side Flats in the Cedars. She called 911 and paramedics took him to Baylor University Medical Center, where he died.

The Dallas County district attorney’s office public integrity division response team begins its independent investigation, as it typically does in shootings involving officers.

A blood sample is drawn from Guyger either late Sept. 6 or early Sept. 7.

Sept. 7

Police Chief U. Renee Hall announces that the case is no longer being investigated as an officer-involved shooting and that she will be seeking a warrant for Guyger’s arrest.

Police say Guyger has not been interviewed.

The chief says the Texas Rangers have been called in to conduct an independent investigation.

Guyger is placed on administrative leave.

Dallas police obtain a search warrant for Jean’s apartment. The warrant states Guyger went to the apartment and was confronted at the door by an unknown male who she may have thought was an intruder. A neighbor said he heard an exchange of words immediately followed by two gunshots.

The warrant also lists items seized during the search. Those details are not made public until Sept. 13.

Sept. 8

The Rangers take over the investigation.

Hall says a judge had not yet signed the warrant because the Texas Rangers were interviewing Guyger and wanted to investigate new information they had learned before issuing one.

Police release Guyger’s name about 8 p.m. despite previously declining to confirm the officer’s identity until she was formally charged.

Sept. 9

Guyger turns herself in to Kaufman County authorities and is charged with manslaughter. She is shown in the jail log as being admitted at 7:20 p.m. with bail set at $300,000.

Within an hour, she posts bond and is released.

Cont’d @:
Timeline: How the case has unfolded since Dallas officer Amber Guyger killed Botham Jean – St. Lucia News Online

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said firing Guyger was the "right decision."

"The swift termination of any officer who engages in misconduct that leads to the loss of innocent life is essential is the Dallas Police Department is to gain and maintain the public trust," Rawlngs said in a statement.
Dallas Police Department fires Amber Guyger after manslaughter charges

 

[Via Marple]

Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know. I’m not even sure if that’s legal or SOP. Plenty of pros around here to school us. (ThankU) What circumstances would lead to a search of her residence? And how/why to difference as to the search of a regular joe/jane on the block doing the same thing that night?

Apparently her apartment was never searched. This was deducted by method of elimination, as reported by some media channels, an example:

After Five Search Warrants, Amber Guyger’s Apartment Was Reportedly Never Searched

We should hear about info from door locks and surveillance cameras (from the searches performed). But will never know if AG was a marijuana user, for example.

 

[Via Marple]

Looking at the posters here (I am not American so count myself out) I am thinking, if the jury says guilty 10 to 2 (roughly) Would AG be convicted?

 

[MsFacetious]

Guyger’s lawyers argued “prejudicial” media coverage and the actions of public officials have made it too difficult to find 12 men and women, along with 4 alternate jurors, who can show no prejudice.

Guyger’s murder trial is set to begin Sept. 23.
Judge Rules Murder Trial Of Former Police Officer Amber Guyger Stays In Dallas County

Larry Collins (@LarryNBC5) on Twitter

Earlier in the day, Guyger’s defense tactics became clearer when it was reported the fired cop’s attorneys planned to argue she was innocent of murder because she only committed what they called a “mistake of fact.” That “mistake of fact was supposed to excuse the fact that Guyger, who at that point was a police officer trained to discern between actual and perceived threats, implausibly and purportedly mistook Jean’s apartment for hers.
Amber Guyger’s Murder Trial Won’t Move From Dallas In Quest For Justice For Botham Jean

Very relieved the trial won't be moved.

This argument REALLY pisses me off. Nobody else gets to use this argument!

Dating a girl in college with her own car and a fake ID... get arrested because she's underage. You thought she was 18? Doesn't matter. IGNORANCE IS NOT A DEFENSE.

Drive your buddy to the liquor store. He robs the place and kills the clerk. You get popped for the crime too. You didn't know he was going to rob the place? You didn't know he had a gun? DOESN'T MATTER.

Crawl into bed drunk and feeling frisky.... except that isn't your wife in bed with you? Charged with sexual assault. You thought it was your wife? Too bad!

So WHY would "I thought I was in my own apartment" be a viable excuse in this case! It is completely ABSURD.

All she had to do was flip the light switch, or check the apartment number, or just leave and call for back up. That's all she had to do! It's nobody fault but her own that she killed BOTHAM instead.

Looking at the posters here (I am not American so count myself out) I am thinking, if the jury says guilty 10 to 2 (roughly) Would AG be convicted?

Well no because it has to be unanimous. If we had a jury like the members here, it would end in a hung jury. We'd never be able to agree on a verdict. I think that's what you were asking anyway.

 

[Via Marple]

I have zero confidence in the chain of custody regarding the samples taken from AG. Or the method, or even the timing.

This entire situation has been handled from the beginning like a cluster of keystone cops managing the scene to create a narrative to protect the "Thin Blue Line". From letting AG go home, to not doing a proper Search of her apartment, to not charging her.

"Oh sure, you thought that this was your apartment, so you shot the guy. Bad that. Go ahead and go home, see you tomorrow.".

Wouldn't it be scary if the last line included the following...

"Aww I would've done the same!"

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Listen to Episode 2 of our audio report on Amber Guyger's murder trial: 'A jury of her peers'

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Very relieved the trial won't be moved.

This argument REALLY pisses me off. Nobody else gets to use this argument!

Dating a girl in college with her own car and a fake ID... get arrested because she's underage. You thought she was 18? Doesn't matter. IGNORANCE IS NOT A DEFENSE.

Drive your buddy to the liquor store. He robs the place and kills the clerk. You get popped for the crime too. You didn't know he was going to rob the place? You didn't know he had a gun? DOESN'T MATTER.

Crawl into bed drunk and feeling frisky.... except that isn't your wife in bed with you? Charged with sexual assault. You thought it was your wife? Too bad!

So WHY would "I thought I was in my own apartment" be a viable excuse in this case! It is completely ABSURD.

All she had to do was flip the light switch, or check the apartment number, or just leave and call for back up. That's all she had to do! It's nobody fault but her own that she killed BOTHAM instead.

Great points, exactly. The defense is going to use "mistake of fact" excuse. I am trying to understand this. I read an example of mistake of fact - say you are at a dog park with your black lab. When you leave you put the leash on the dog and head home. Once home you realize you don't have your dog, but you have grabbed someone else's identical black lab. You have not committed dog theft, it is "mistake of fact".

The defense team is going to have to convince the jury it is mistake of fact when AG:
1) drove to the wrong floor which surely has markings
2) walked down a hallway which, again, surely has markings, and every door has an apt # indicating the floor
3) walked up to (somehow) the wrong apartment with many visual clues it was the wrong apt including a big red mat
4) entered (somehow) an apt with either the door open and/or your key possibly showing red, many clues something is wrong
5) walked into the apt with different decor and furniture etc
6) walked into an apartment where your dog is not there to greet you
7) walked upon a man watching TV (not her TV), eating cereal in his skivvies

They are going to have to convince the jury that all of these missteps were a reasonable "oops" that anyone could make. And with all of these clues that she was in the wrong apartment, that the reasonable conclusion was that she needed to shoot him.

 

[mickey2942]

This may sound strange, but our home has a "scent", of cinnamon, apple pie, vanilla, (I bake a lot), underlying Febreze, furniture polish, fresh herbs, Golden Retriever.

I bet Mr. Jean's apartment had a more masculine scent, with possible underlying scent of marijuana.

AG's apartment probably smelled like gun oil, tactical gear, leather boots, ammunition.

They say that our sense of odor is one of the strongest ways to remember a place, person, wouldn't she have noticed that the apartment didn't "smell" like her home? I know that the second someone opens their door, their house has a different scent.

There is something wrong with her story. This is one more piece of that puzzle.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

This may sound strange, but our home has a "scent", of cinnamon, apple pie, vanilla, (I bake a lot), underlying Febreze, furniture polish, fresh herbs, Golden Retriever.

I bet Mr. Jean's apartment had a more masculine scent, with possible underlying scent of marijuana.

AG's apartment probably smelled like gun oil, tactical gear, leather boots, ammunition.

They say that our sense of odor is one of the strongest ways to remember a place, person, wouldn't she have noticed that the apartment didn't "smell" like her home? I know that the second someone opens their door, their house has a different scent.

There is something wrong with her story. This is one more piece of that puzzle.

BBM

That doesn't sound strange at all. The olfactory clues that she missed are yet more in the long line of sensory clues that she missed. Will the jury think all of those mistakes are "reasonable"?

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

the search warrant was for a marijuana grinder and 10.4 grams of marijuana, according to cbs47 local tv in dallas. 10.4 grams is a lot of dope, based on pictures I see online. plus, cops are regularly drug tested. I wish this incident hadn't happened, like everyone else. but I am bringing up salient facts that will be brought out at trial, and not acknowledging them is simply burying your head in the sand...now I will cease and let everyone continue digging their very deep sand holes

It's really not a lot of dope. Sorry, this is a website so not every single poster has to agree with your exact viewpoint.

 

[mickey2942]

BBM

That doesn't sound strange at all. The olfactory clues that she missed are yet more in the long line of sensory clues that she missed. Will the jury think all of those mistakes are "reasonable"?

My husband and I were just talking about AG's trial. He is BLIND, deaf, hearing impaired, and carrying. He wouldn't even be that dumb! He says the difference is that he isn't high!

 

[Via Marple]

BBM

That doesn't sound strange at all. The olfactory clues that she missed are yet more in the long line of sensory clues that she missed. Will the jury think all of those mistakes are "reasonable"?

She had basically lost her five senses. Even standing on a door mat would feel different from on a bare floor at the door. If that was a result of tiredness, how did she survive the trip home?

Edit to add , now I would like to see CCTV of her getting from the car park to Botham's door. Did she look dazed, stumbling, or normal?