The family of Botham Jean, who was tragically shot and killed by former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger in 2018, has been awarded nearly $100 million in a federal civil trial. The jury, following a three-day trial, determined that Guyger had used excessive force and violated Jean’s constitutional rights.
The verdict, handed down on Wednesday, resulted in a $98.65 million award for the Jean family. This decision comes after Guyger claimed she mistakenly entered Jean’s apartment, believing it was her own, before fatally shooting him.
“This verdict stands as a powerful testament to Botham’s life and the profound injustice of his death,” a statement from Jean’s family’s legal team said. “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.”
Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer who fatally shot Botham Jean, claimed that after a long work shift, she mistakenly walked to Jean’s apartment, which was located on the fourth floor, directly above hers on the third. She stated that she found the door unlocked, and believing it was her own apartment, she drew her gun and entered, ultimately shooting Jean.
Jean, an accountant from St. Lucia, was sitting in his apartment eating a bowl of ice cream when Guyger entered and shot him. Guyger was later fired from the Dallas Police Department, convicted of murder, and sentenced to 10 years in prison for Jean’s death. Earlier this fall, she was denied parole.
The shooting of Botham Jean by Amber Guyger garnered widespread attention due to the unusual circumstances and because it was part of a broader pattern of Black men being shot by white police officers. The case sparked national conversations about police accountability and race relations.
During closing arguments in the civil trial, attorneys for Jean’s family urged the jury to send a strong message that residents of Dallas County should feel safe in their own homes. The Dallas Morning News reported that the family’s legal team emphasized the importance of holding law enforcement accountable.
Guyger waived her right to participate in the trial, a decision that the Jean family described as a lack of accountability for her actions. This absence from the proceedings added to the family’s belief that Guyger was not taking responsibility for her role in Jean’s death.
