Lawyers for a former Texas police officer who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for fatally shooting a man in his own apartment appeared in court Tuesday to appeal her murder conviction.
Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was convicted of murder for fatally shooting her upstairs neighbor, Botham Jean, 26, in his own apartment in September 2018. As CrimeOnline previously reported, Guyger claimed she fatally shot Jean in his apartment after mistaking his unit for hers.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Guyger argued she should have been convicted of criminally negligent homicide — a charge which has a maximum sentence of two years. Her attorneys argued that the off-duty officer believed she was acting in self-defense when she fatally shot Jean.
The jury who convicted Guyger of murder in October 2019 determined Texas’ Castle Doctrine or “Stand Your Ground” law did not apply to this case. In fact, a juror asked the court during deliberations, “What would’ve happened if Botham would’ve shot her for coming into his home? Would he have been able to use the castle doctrine?”
District Attorney John Creuzot said Guyger’s murder conviction is appropriate, and that the former officer is trying to appeal a verdict she did not want, according to the Dallas Morning News.
On Tuesday, Jean’s family also spoke out against Guyger’s pending appeal via their attorney, Ben Crump.
“We vehemently oppose Amber Guyger’s appeal and her attempt to get a reduced sentence,” they said in a statement obtained by CrimeOnline.
“When Amber Guyger was sentenced, our family finally found a measure of justice and peace. Her actions were clearly criminal: she saw a black man and shot, without reason and without justification, murdering him in his own home. The jury delivered a thoughtful and just verdict that should not be overturned.”
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[Featured Image: Amber Guyger/Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office; Botham Jean/Facebook]]
