The family of a man shot and killed by a Dallas police officer who said she mistook his apartment for her own was awarded nearly 100 million Wednesday in a federal civil trial.
The jury found after a three-day trial that ex-officer Amber Guyger used excessive force in the death of Botham Jean in 2018 and violated his constitutional rights. Jurors returned a verdict against her of 98.65 million.
"This verdict stands as a powerful testament to Botham's life and the profound injustice of his death," a statement from Jean's family's legal team said. "This case laid bare critical issues of racial bias and police accountability that cannot be ignored. Today's verdict sends a clear message that law enforcement officers who commit crimes cannot be insulated from the consequences of their actions."
Guyger said at the time that after a long work shift, she walked to Jean's apartment - which was on the fourth floor, directly above hers on the third - and found the door unlocked. She said she thought the apartment was her own when she drew her gun and entered.
Jean, an accountant from the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia, had been eating a bowl of ice cream when Guyger entered his apartment and shot him.
