Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger sentenced to 10 years for murder of Botham Jean

by Walter Einenkel

Daily Kos Staff

Wednesday, Oct. 02, 2019 Wednesday, Oct. 02, 2019 at 2:31:32pm PDT

Fired Dallas police officer Amber Guyger becomes emotional as she testifies in her murder trial, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Dallas. Guyger is accused of shooting and killing Botham Jean, an unarmed 26-year-old neighbor in his own apartment last year. She told police she thought his apartment was her own and that he was an intruder. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool)

After a two-day, five-hour deliberation, a Dallas jury found Amber Guyger guilty of murder Tuesday in the shooting death of 26-year-old Botham Jean. Guyger murdered Botham after busting into his apartment and shooting him in the chest. On Wednesday, Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors were asking for 28 years, symbolic of how old Jean would be had he not been killed by Guyger on Sept. 6, 2018.

The jury rejected a "sudden passion" sentencing—meaning Guyger acted in the heat of the moment—which carries a shorter sentence. However, the 10 years the jury did select was still well below both maximum sentences. The impact that this case has had on the country cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, the landmark case has been relegated to second-tier coverage by most national news media, as Donald Trump’s impending impeachment inquiry continues to unfold..