Dallas, Texas — Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger has been granted parole after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence for the 2018 murder of Botham Jean, a Black man she shot inside his Dallas apartment after mistakenly believing she had entered her own home.
The Brief
- Amber Guyger has been granted parole after serving seven years of her 10-year sentence for the 2018 murder of Botham Jean in Dallas.
- Guyger entered Jean’s apartment by mistake, believed it was her own home, and shot him while he was inside.
- The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved her release despite opposition from Jean’s family. The Texas prison system will determine when she is released.
Amber Guyger Parole Approved
Guyger was a Dallas police officer when she entered Jean’s apartment in 2018 and shot him. Jean, an accountant from the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia, was inside his home eating ice cream when Guyger entered.
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During her murder trial, Guyger said she had finished a long shift and was still wearing her police uniform when she went to Jean’s apartment. His apartment was directly above hers, and she said she believed she was entering her own home. She also said she thought Jean was an intruder when she pulled her service weapon and fired.
Guyger was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison. She has now been approved for parole after serving seven years.
What we know:
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected Guyger’s first parole request in 2024. The board approved her latest request despite opposition from Jean’s family.
The board said it reviewed a large amount of information in Guyger’s case. It said her record did not show a documented pattern of violent or assault-related arrests or convictions.
The board also said Guyger completed programs in her prison treatment plan designed to help her get and keep a job after release. It said she had maintained a satisfactory institutional record while in prison.
The Texas prison system will determine when Guyger is released. Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
Family Opposition
Dig deeper:
Jean’s family strongly opposed Guyger’s parole. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt said the family repeatedly asked that Guyger serve the full 10-year sentence.
Merritt said the family believes the seven-year release makes the loss feel smaller in the eyes of the justice system. In 2024, a federal civil jury awarded Jean’s family nearly $100 million.
Why Guyger Was Granted Parole
The parole board said it considered a large amount of information before approving Guyger’s release. Officials pointed to her prison record, including the lack of a documented pattern of violent or assault-related arrests or convictions.
The board also noted that Guyger completed programs included in her prison treatment plan to prepare for getting and keeping a job after release. It said she maintained a satisfactory institutional adjustment.
Guyger’s parole was approved even though Jean’s family opposed her release. The Texas prison system will decide the date of her release.
