The family of Botham Jean has been awarded nearly $100 million in their civil wrongful death lawsuit against former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger.
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Six years ago, former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger was convicted of shooting and killing 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean in his apartment, which she claimed to believe was her own. She is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for murder.
On Wednesday (November 20), Amber Guyger was ordered to pay Botham Jean’s family $98.6 million in their civil wrongful death lawsuit against the former Dallas Police Officer. The Jean family’s civil lawsuit against Guyger accuses her of using excessive force in his death.
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At the time, Guyger told authorities that she confused Jean’s apartment for her own and that her body-camera worn on her uniform was not recording during the shooting because she was off duty. After her conviction, Guyger filed an appeal but was denied two years ago. She then became eligible for parole on September 29 of this year.
Speaking on their big win in their civil wrongful death lawsuit against Amber Guyger, Botham Jean’s family and legal team, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, called the verdict “a powerful testament to Jean’s life.”
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The statement read, “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 Botham Jean’s family said they most likely will never see any of the $98.6 million that Amber Guyger has been ordered to pay. However, they insist that they really wanted to make sure that the former Dallas Police Officer could never profit financially from having killed Jean. They also reported that they are exploring legal options to hold the city accountable and they are urging people around Dallas to join them in demanding change from city leaders.
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