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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 2 OctOber 2019
Ex-Dallas officer who killed neighbor found guilty of murder

By JAKE BLEIBERG resents city police officers,
DALLAS (AP) — A white has paid for Guyger's legal
former Dallas police offi- defense and security.
cer who shot her black un- The verdict may have de-
armed neighbor to death fused tensions that began
after, she said, mistaking simmering Monday when
his apartment for her own jurors were told they could
was convicted of murder consider whether Guyger
Tuesday in a verdict that had a right to use deadly
prompted tears of relief force under a Texas law
from his family and chants known as the castle doc-
of "black lives matter" from trine — even though she
a crowd outside the court- wasn't in her own home.
room. The law is similar to "stand
The same jury that found your ground" measures
Amber Guyger guilty in the across the U.S. that state
September 2018 death of a person has no duty to
her upstairs neighbor, Bo- retreat from an intruder.
tham Jean, will consider Prosecutor Jason Fine told
her fate after hearing ad- jurors that while the law
ditional testimony that would have empowered
started Tuesday afternoon. Jean to shoot someone
She could be sentenced barging into his apartment,
to from five years to life in it doesn't apply "the other
prison under Texas law. Botham Jean's mother, Allison Jean, rejoices in the courtroom after fired Dallas police Officer Am- way around."
The jury took a matter of ber Guyger was found guilty of murder, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, in Dallas. In a frantic 911 call played
hours to convict Guyger, Associated Press repeatedly during the trial,
31, after six days of testi- Guyger said "I thought it
mony. dicated Guyger lacks sensi- eating a bowl of ice cream Guyger was largely made was my apartment" nearly
Cheers erupted in the tivity toward black people. when Guyger entered his up of women and people 20 times. Her lawyers ar-
courthouse as the ver- In one, she suggests par- home and shot him. of color. gued that the identical
dict was announced, and ticipants at a Martin Luther The shooting drew wide- Attorney Ben Crump, also physical appearance of
someone yelled "Thank King Jr. Day parade in Dal- spread attention because representing the family, the apartment complex
you, Jesus!" In the hallway las could be persuaded to of the strange circum- credited the makeup of the from floor to floor frequent-
outside the courtroom, a go home with the use of stances and because it jury for Tuesday's convic- ly led to tenants going to
crowd celebrated and physical violence and pep- was one in a string of shoot- tion, and said he expects the wrong apartments.
chanted "black lives mat- per spray. In a message ings of unarmed black men them to deliver a weighty But prosecutors questioned
ter." When the prosecutors sent to Guyger's phone, by white police officers. sentence. how Guyger could have
walked into the hall, they the messenger suggests "This is a huge victory, not "I look and this jury. And I missed numerous signs that
broke into cheers. she would like a German only for the family of Botham look at the diversity of this she was in the wrong place,
After the verdict was read, shepherd because the dog Jean, but this is a victory for jury," he said. "They will see asked why she didn't call
Guyger sat alone, weep- is racist. Guyger declares black people in America," past all the technical, in- for backup and suggested
ing, at the defense table. that she hates "everything said Lee Merritt, one of the tellectual justifications for she was distracted by sexu-
Jean's friends and fam- and everyone but y'all." lawyers for Jean's family. an unjustifiable killing. And ally explicit phone messag-
ily later testified to explain Guyger's defense attor- "It's a signal that the tide is I believe they will do the es with her police partner.
how his death has affected neys can argue that she going to change here. Po- right thing." Guyger was arrested three
them. First on the stand was deserves a light sentence lice officers are going to be Dallas Police Association days after the killing. She
Allison Jean, who said her because she acted out of held accountable for their President Mike Mata de- was later fired and charged
son was killed just before he sudden fear and confusion. actions, and we believe clined to comment Tues- with murder . Tension has
was due to turn 27. The judge is expected to that will begin to change day afternoon, saying been high during the trial
"My life has not been the provide guidance on sen- policing culture around the Guyger's lawyers asked him in Dallas, where five police
same. It's just been like a tencing law. world." to wait until after sentenc- officers were killed in an at-
roller coaster. I can't sleep, It is unclear how long the The jury that convicted ing. The group, which rep- tack three years ago.q
I cannot eat. It's just been punishment phase of the
the most terrible time for trial will last. Testimony will
me," she said. resume Wednesday. Court: FCC can dump net neutrality,
Botham Jean's sister, Allisa The basic facts of the un-
Findley, told the jury that usual shooting were not in but can't bar state laws
she and her mother cry dispute throughout the trial.
a lot, her formerly "bub- After a long shift at work WASHINGTON (AP) — A Tuesday's appeals court neutrality law in the wake
bly" younger brother has and still in uniform, Guyger federal court has cleared ruling is the latest devel- of the FCC's 2017 repeal
retreated as if into a shell, walked up to Jean's apart- the way for state and local opment to shine a light on of federal rules approved
and that her father is "not ment — which was on the governments to bar inter- states' lead on tech policy. during the Obama ad-
the same." fourth floor, directly above net providers from favoring California has enacted a ministration. "The pathway
"It's like the light behind his hers on the third — and some services over others, strict data privacy law to has been cleared," said
eyes is off," Findley said. found the door unlocked. even as the court affirmed protect users on services Ryan Singel, a fellow at
She said her children are Thinking the apartment was the Federal Communica- run by Facebook, Google the Center for Internet and
now afraid of police. her own, she drew her ser- tions Commission's right to and Amazon, for example, Society at Stanford Law
Prosecutors also submitted vice weapon and entered. dump national rules. while Congress is still debat- School. "They can still be
text messages — accept- Jean, an accountant from Even so, legal experts say ing a national privacy law. challenged, but that chal-
ed as evidence over de- the Caribbean island na- state and local efforts will And it's California that lenge just became easier
fense objections — that in- tion of St. Lucia, had been be subject to challenges. passed the strongest net for them to win."q