JEAN: The Harding graduate was killed by an intruder into his apartment. The intruder was a police officer, Amber Guyger, who was arrested and charged with manslaughter.

The AP reports that a grand jury began hearing evidence on Monday in the case of Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer who fatally shot Botham Jean, 26, on September 6 in his own home. 

Jean, who was black, was a 2016 graduate of Harding University who worked for the consulting firm PwC in Dallas.

Advertisement

The story has many strange elements. Guyger, who is white, said she thought she was entering her own apartment in the same complex when she mistakenly entered Jean’s apartment. She said that she thought he was a burglar; she shot and killed him. It took nearly 48 hours for Dallas police to identify Guyger as the officer who shot Jean, and longer still to charge her with manslaughter.

From a front-page New York Times article on the case, here’s a roundup of the conflicting accounts of the evening:

Advertisement

The officer told investigators the door was slightly ajar and then fully opened when she inserted her computerized chip key; lawyers for Mr. Jean’s family said the door was closed. Officer Guyger said in court documents that when she opened the door, the apartment was dark and she saw a silhouette of someone she thought was a burglar. She said she shouted commands that were ignored. Neighbors, however, have told lawyers for Mr. Jean’s relatives that they heard someone banging on the door and shouting, “Let me in!” and “Open up!” before gunshots rang out. They said they then heard a man, presumably Mr. Jean, say, “Oh my God, why did you do that?”

The grand jury will decide whether to indict Guyger, and could potentially decide on a more serious charge than the current manslaughter charge. 

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article ACLU to appeal state citations against three Arkansas abortion clinics Next article Trump administration tries to bury bad news on climate change (Trump still in denial)