Former Dallas officer who fatally shot man in apartment she mistook for her own gets parole

Former Dallas police Officer Amber Guyger has been granted parole after serving seven years in prison for the murder of Botham Jean.

Guyger fatally shot Jean, a 26-year-old accountant, in September 2018 after mistaking his apartment for her own. She told investigators she believed Jean was an intruder.

Jean’s killing drew protests in Dallas and national attention, particularly because Jean was an unarmed Black man killed in his own home by a white police officer.

A Dallas County jury convicted Guyger, now 38, of murder in October 2019 and sentenced her to 10 years in prison.

The Texas parole board confirmed Thursday to The Dallas Morning News that Guyger had been granted parole. She was previously denied in 2024.

It’s not immediately clear Thursday when she will be released from prison.

Here’s what to know about Guyger, Jean’s killing and what has happened in the years since.

What happened to Botham Jean?

Guyger and Jean lived one floor apart at the South Side Flats, an apartment complex a few blocks from the Dallas police headquarters in the Cedars. 

Guyger had finished a shift and was still in uniform when she returned to the complex on Sept. 6, 2018. She mistakenly parked on the fourth floor instead of the third floor, where she lived, and went to Jean’s apartment.

Jean was eating ice cream in his apartment when Guyger entered. She fired twice, hitting Jean once. Jean died at a hospital.

Guyger was arrested three days later and initially charged with manslaughter. Dallas police fired her later that month. A Dallas County grand jury later indicted her on a murder charge.

Jean, a native of St. Lucia, had moved to the U.S. to attend Harding University in Arkansas, before taking a job as an accountant in Dallas. He was active in his church and his family has said he hoped to eventually return to St. Lucia and become prime minister.

Related: Two stunning hugs end Amber Guyger's murder trial on a merciful note

Why was Guyger convicted of murder?

There was no dispute during Guyger’s 2019 trial that she shot Jean. The main question for jurors was whether she committed a crime when she did so.

Guyger’s attorneys argued she genuinely believed she had entered her own apartment and was confronting a burglar. Prosecutors argued her mistake didn't justify killing Jean.

Jurors found Guyger guilty of murder on Oct. 1, 2019.

The jury later sentenced her to 10 years in prison. She faced five years to life in prison.

Guyger appealed, arguing there wasn't enough evidence to support a murder conviction. She also argued that she should have been convicted of criminally negligent homicide, a lesser offense.

The Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas rejected those arguments and upheld her murder conviction in 2021. 

Why was Amber Guyger granted parole?

Guyger first became eligible for parole in 2024 after serving enough of her 10-year sentence to be considered for release.

The Texas parole board denied her parole that October. Jean’s family and the Dallas County district attorney’s office opposed her release, as did thousands of people who signed an online petition.

The board reconsidered Guyger this year and granted her parole Thursday. The board confirmed the decision to The News, but it wasn't immediately clear when Guyger would be released.

Parole doesn't overturn Guyger’s murder conviction. It allows her to serve the remainder of her sentence outside prison under state supervision and conditions set by the parole board.

Related: 'Excruciating:' Ex-Dallas cop Amber Guyger now eligible for parole in Botham Jean's murder

What happened in the civil case?

Jean’s parents and sister sued Guyger and the city of Dallas after his death.

The family accused Guyger of using excessive force and argued Dallas police policies and training contributed to Jean’s killing.

A federal judge ultimately dismissed the city from the case. Guyger remained the sole defendant when the lawsuit went to trial in November 2024.

Guyger, who was still imprisoned, didn't participate in the trial or hire an attorney.

A federal jury found Guyger civilly liable and awarded Jean’s family $98.65 million in damages. That included roughly $38.65 million in compensatory damages for losses including Jean’s future earnings, pain and suffering and his parents’ loss, along with $60 million in punitive damages.

Jean’s family said after the verdict that collecting the money from Guyger wasn't their main focus. The family has since turned its attention back to the city.

In March, Jean’s family sued Dallas in state court, arguing the city’s employee liability plan requires it to cover the judgment against Guyger because she was a city employee.

The lawsuit remains pending. The city has asked a judge to dismiss the case and has challenged whether the court has jurisdiction. A hearing on those arguments is scheduled for Nov. 19. A jury trial is currently set for June 2027, online court records show Thursday.

What happens now?

Guyger remains in state custody until Texas prison officials complete the process necessary for her release.

The parole board hasn't publicly announced when that will happen. Once released on parole, Guyger will be supervised under conditions imposed by the state while she serves the remainder of her sentence.

Her murder conviction remains in place. So does the $98.65 million civil judgment against her.

Jean’s family, meanwhile, continues its separate legal effort to make the city of Dallas responsible for paying that judgment.

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This article originally published at Amber Guyger granted parole: What to know about Botham Jean's killing and the case.

This article originally appeared on Dallas Morning News at https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-safety/article/amber-guyger-parole-botham-jean-case-22458146.php