Amber Guyger, a former Dallas police officer is ordered to pay $98.6 million to the family of Botham Jean, a man she shot in his apartment. The three-day trial ended on Wednesday with the federal jury announcing their verdict. Guyger has also been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 2018 incident.
According to USA Today, the jury, for Amber Guyger's case, concluded that she used excessive force in shooting the 26-year-old man and killed him. They also added that she acted under the color of law and ordered her to pay nearly $100 million to Jean's parents. This includes $60 million in punitive damages.
The incident took place on September 6, 2018, when Botham Jean was sitting in his apartment and his cop neighbor walked through the door. Per the civil complaint, Amber Guyger, who lived upstairs, entered his home after working a 13-hour patrol shift.
She then allegedly drew her gun and threw verbal slurs at Jean. However, she also claimed that she mistook Jean's apartment as hers and did not know she was on the wrong floor. She also added that she thought Jean was an intruder.
The lawsuit further revealed that Guyger then shot Jean in the chest with her service gun while the latter was unarmed. She was then fired from the police department as she was also found guilty of the murder and sentenced to ten years in prison.
Jean's family releases statement regarding Amber Guyger's case
Following Amber Guyger's trial, Daryl Washington, Jean's family attorney told the outlet that the jury's decision has sent a "loud and clear" message regarding police brutality and how society is not going to accept it.
"I think whenever verdicts like this come out, it has a potential of saving lives," Washington said.
"It's going to really force a police officer to think deep and long before they decide to use deadly force in a situation where it's not justifiable," he added.
The family's legal team also released a statement which read,
"This verdict stands as a powerful testament to Botham’s life and the profound injustice of his death."
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"This case laid bare critical issues of racial bias and police accountability that cannot be ignored. Today’s verdict sends a clear message that law enforcement officers who commit crimes cannot be insulated from the consequences of their actions."
The death of Botham Jean caught a lot of attention in 2018 as it included police brutality against a man of color. Several cases of police brutality came out that year and they have reportedly increased over the years. The police fatality cases toll reached 1,248 last year.
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