DALLAS — Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of murdering 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean in his apartment six years ago, was ordered to pay the Jean family $98.6 million in a civil trial Wednesday.
Guyger was convicted six years ago of shooting and killing Jean in his apartment, which she said she thought was her own.
She’s currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for murder.
Guyger told authorities she confused Botham’s apartment for her own. Her body-worn camera was not recording during the shooting because she was off duty. She appealed the conviction but lost her appeal two years ago. She became eligible for parole on Sept. 29 of this year.
The civil lawsuit against her accuses the former police officer of using excessive force in Jean’s death.
Attorneys for the Jean family, which includes civil rights attorney Ben Crump, released the following statement after the verdict:
“This verdict stands as a powerful testament to Botham’s life and the profound injustice of his death. On September 6, 2018, Botham was doing nothing more than sitting in his own home, eating ice cream, when Amber Guyger –– an off-duty officer –– wrongly entered his apartment and fatally shot him. 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.”
Attorneys for the Jean family say they most likely will not ever see any of the $98.6 million verdict and they insist they wanted to make sure that Guyger could never profit financially from having killed Botham Jean. They said they are exploring legal options to hold the city accountable and urging people in Dallas to demand change and more from city leaders.
Guyger chose not to attend the trial in Dallas.
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