Jury selected in Amber Guyger civil lawsuit

DALLAS - A jury has been seated in a civil suit against former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger.

The officer was fired for using excessive force that resulted in the death of 26-year-old Botham Jean on Sept. 6, 2018. 

The jury consists of 12 jurors and two alternates.

Guyger does not have legal representation in the suit and won't be in the courtroom at her request.

Botham Jean's family is back in Dallas outside the federal courthouse as a jury has been seated.

"It's uncovering old wounds, but I'm looking forward to the conclusion so that we could at least get closure because ever since this continues it's still unfinished business," said Allison Jean, Botham’s mother.

The former Dallas police officer is now in state prison serving a 10-year manslaughter sentence for Botham’s murder.

Dallas attorney Daryl K. Washington has been joined by a team of lawyers who are part of civil rights attorney Ben Crump's team.

During jury selection, defense attorneys asked potential jurors: "Is there anyone here who would hold it against her because she is not present?"

With that question satisfied, the trial now starts on November 18 with 12 jurors and two alternates.

"The evidence is obviously going to be given to the jury," Washington said. "It's just going to be a process where the family, the witnesses, get to tell the story as to what happened to Botham.

That will happen without Guyger or an attorney at the defense table, which was a decision made by Guyger.

Botham’s family filed a civil lawsuit in October 2018 against the city of Dallas and Guyger. The lawsuit accused the city of negligence in police training.

The city argued there was no evidence to support that claim, and a federal judge agreed in December 2019.

The city of Dallas was dismissed from the case in 2020, leaving Guyger as the only defendant. 

Jean's family is seeking unliquidated damages in the amount that is within the jurisdictional limits of the court, according to court records.

If the family wins the civil lawsuit and is awarded a judgment, it would ensure that if Guyger comes into any money through a book or movie deal once she's out of prison, any proceeds will go to the Botham family.

The trial is expected to begin November 18 and last three days.

What Happened?

On Sept. 6, 2018, Guyger returned to her home after a more than 13-hour shift and mistook Jean's apartment for her own. Both Guyger and Jean lived in the South Side Flats near Downtown Dallas, about two blocks from the Dallas Police Department. Guyger lived on the third floor, in apartment 1378. Jean lived on the fourth floor, in apartment 1478. 

Guyger said she didn't notice she was on the fourth floor, or the red doormat outside of Jean's apartment door. She attempted to unlock the door and noticed it was ajar. She went into the apartment and found Jean and shot him twice in the chest, believing he was a burglar inside her apartment. 

She then called 911. Jean was taken to a nearby hospital where he died. 

Guyger was arrested three days later. She was placed on paid administrative leave and was fired from the Dallas Police Department 18 days later.

In 2019, Guyger was convicted of murdering Jean and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. 

In Oct. 2024, she was denied parole after serving half of her sentence. She first became eligible for parole on Sept. 29, 2024. More than 6,000 people, including Jean's family and the Dallas County District Attorney, signed an online petition against Guyger's parole request. 

Her next parole hearing is set for 2026 and her release date is Sept. 29, 2029. She is being held at a state prison in Gatesville, Texas.

Who was Botham Jean?

According to court documents, Jean graduated from the top of his class in Castries, St. Lucia and came to the United States to attend Harding University in Arkansas. 

The court documents show Jean's family says he was a rising star at one of the nation's leading professional services firms as an accountant. He was also a worship leader in the international Church of Christ, serving the Dallas West Church of Christ. His family says he hoped to one day return to the nation of Saint Lucia and run for the position of Prime Minister. 

Who is Amber Guyger?

Amber Renee Guyger was 30 years old at the time of the shooting. She had been on the Dallas police force for nearly five years.