Words by Jessica Dupree
The trial began Monday (Sept. 23) for former police officer Amber Guyger who killed her neighbor, 26-year-old Texas resident Botham Jean, on Sep. 6, 2018. Guyger told police that she mistakenly believed that she was in her apartment and that Jean was a burglar.
Defense attorney’s for Guyger says she was distracted by the phone call from a colleague when she mistakenly entered into Jean’s apartment thinking it was her own and that she has been working overtime that day. They also argued that the apartments look identical from floor to floor – often leading to confusion among tenant’s who he alleges regularly enter the wrong apartment and park on the wrong floor.
Prosecuting attorney Hermus argued that Guyger ignored unique signs that would have indicated to the defendant that she was on the wrong floor. Hermus also stated that although Guyger worked overtime that day, it did not involve strenuous work. Sexually explicit messages exchanged between Guyger and her colleague, Martin Rivera, were presented to the jury.
Guygers defense attorneys claim that the parking garage was not clearly marked and argued that the “tired’ and was thought an intruder was in her apartment at a time when she had tunnel vision and was on “autopilot.”
Jean was eating vanilla ice cream in a bowl while sitting in the living room when Guyger entered his apartment and shot him.
