Texas cop Amber Guyger sobs as she's hugged by judge and victim's brother after being sentenced to 10 years
Texas killer cop Amber Guyger's tumultuous six-day trial and sentencing came to an emotional end on Tuesday. The 31-year-old former police officer was sentenced to 10years in prison on a murder charge in the death of a 28-year-old accountant, a black man named Botham Jean.
The courtroom was filled with sighs and tears after the jury presented their verdict after having found her guilty of murder yesterday. Many in the courtroom became very emotional after Judge Tammy Kemp doled out the sentence to Guyger. Jean's younger brother, 18-year-old Brandt Jean, moved the court with his victim impact statement. He said in between tears that he had forgiven her and only wanted the best for her.
"If you truly are sorry, I forgive you. I know if you go to God and ask him he will forgive you," Brandt said, "I love you just like anyone else. I'm not going to say I hope you rot and die just like my brother did. I want the best for you. I don't even want you to go to jail." He then went on to ask Judge Kemp if he could "give her a hug". The two held each other and sobbed. Judge Kemp also gave Guyger a bible before hugging her, as she cried hysterically.
However, many outside the courtroom felt the sentence was too lenient. Allison Jean, the slain accountant's mother said that she hoped that Guyger would use her time to reflect and change for the better.
The incident occurred in September 2018 after Guyger, who was returning home from a 13-hour-long shift had mistaken Botham for an intruder. Guyger had walked into his fourth-floor apartment which was right above her's on the third floor and found the door slightly ajar. She was under the impression that it was her home, and not realizing she was in the wrong flat, drew her gun and shot Jean, who had just started his career as an accountant.
At the time of the murder she had been off duty but was in uniform. She had her taser as well as pepper spray on her belt. At the time of his murder Botham had been inside his home, sitting on the couch eatig a bowl of ice cream.
Guyger's mother Karen Guyger told the jury at the hearing that her daughter had been sexually assaulted when she was young and was sorry for what she had done. Guyger's sister Alana said, "She feels bad spending time with her family because he can't. She's one of the most genuine people." LaWanda Clark, a former addict also told jurors that it was because of the kindness that Guyger had shown her during a bust that she had been able to turn her life around.
Yesterday, before the sentencing hearing Guyger had said that she was truly sorry and felt terrible for what she had done. She said that it had been a mistake and she was convinced that he was going to kill her. In her 911 call after the shooting, she is said to have stated 20 times that she thought it was her apartment.
"A police officer ever would want to hurt an innocent person. I feel like a terrible person. I feel like a piece of cr**. I hate that I have to live with this every single day of my life. I feel like I don't deserve the chance to be with my family and friends," she said, crying, "I wish he was the one with the gun and had killed me. I never wanted to take an innocent person's life. I am so sorry. This is not about hate, it's about being scared that night."