Jury Hands Down Sentence on Amber Guyger

Toulon · 2019-09-23T18:06:55+00:00

Opening statements begin today in one of the most interesting murder trials in recent memory as it garners national attention. It's the stuff of Dateline NB...

accufitgolf

Was she tested for drugs and/or alcohol?

ZWExton

pellmell I wouldn't say that, but she sure isn't a ringing endorsement for the quality of folks that are sworn to protect us. I really don't think she wanted to kill a person that day, and I am willing to believe she made a comedy of errors that led to an awful result. But, if she wasn't a f*ckin' dope, this sure could have been avoided.

The huge thing for me... Even if you're an officer, armed - do you go in against an armed intruder alone? You don't know that the intruder is alone, but if it's your apartment you sure should feel confident no one else is in there. Why do you ever go in alone when you have good cause to believe there aren't civilians in danger and not call for backup?

That's the dumbest of all the dumb. That has to be counter to their training, and even common sense. If you potentially have kids or a spouse or something in there under attack, sure, you take the risk. But if she believed it was HER empty apartment with intruder(s) inside, wtf?? Is it possible she thought it'd be cool to kill a burglar on her own?

Rickochet

ZWExton The huge thing for me... Even if you're an officer, armed - do you go in against an armed intruder alone? You don't know that the intruder is alone, but if it's your apartment you sure should feel confident no one else is in there. Why do you ever go in alone when you have good cause to believe there aren't civilians in danger and not call for backup?

That was my thought also. If there was nobody else in the apt. except for the intruder(s) and no other exits what was the big hurry? Call for backup on her radio or phone, have your weapon drawn if the intruder comes out for self protection but wait for backup.

I have not been watching the trial but if she called for help after the shooting and called in her apt. # how did the police find her on a floor lower?

sdandrea1

Now I can't help but wonder if she didn't murder this guy for premeditated reasons and this is her cover story. Has any investigation of a possible motive come out?

mikeintopeka

sdandrea1 - The prosecution rested their case with no wild theories. They spent most of their strategy on the many instances in which she could have figured out she wasn't on her floor or even in her apartment and attacked the 'innocent mistake' defense. And they hammered her hard on why she didn't act to save his life after calling 9-1-1 instead of sending text(s).

Toulon

sdandrea1

It's been reported there isn't a single piece of evidence that shows they had any prior relationship. Still, he's in her building and one floor above her. He may have made a bunch of noise above her and she hated the guy for it. He may have had issues with what was going on in her apartment. Anyone who's ever lived in an apartment with floors above and below know what it's like if you have bad neighbors above or below.

I still think she was on something. She was working off-duty work. Dead tired. Popped God only knows what to stay awake.

Par4QC

I'm wondering how ineffective her attorney is what with putting her on the stand. Huge mistake, imo.
I don't see the prosecution proved much, other than what was already public knowledge.

Rickochet

Toulon Still, he's in her building and one floor above her

I think he was on the 3rd floor and she was on the 4th.

Toulon

She was on the bottom. He was on top. Sounds wrong:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amber-guyger-trial-dallas-officer-who-shot-neighbor-testifies-in-own-defense-today-2019-09-27/

Guyger had actually parked on the building's fourth floor, where Jean lived directly above her. She testified the levels of the parking garage ...

mikeintopeka

Interesting testimony from the Texas Ranger that was the lead investigator on the case. While this still doesn't give Amber a pass, she's not a ditz either as many residents in that complex have tried to use their keys in someone else's apartment door. The owner's of the building have made improvements in the signage and lighting since the shooting incident.

_Ranger David Armstrong, the lead investigator on the case, testified that even he had trouble knowing which floor he was on while investigating the shooting last year.

"There were no clear obvious signs showing what level you were on," he testified earlier in the week when questioned by Robert Rogers, one of Guyger's attorneys.

Armstrong told the jury that he led a team that interviewed 297 of the 349 residents at the South Side Flats, and 46 of them had walked to the wrong floor and put their key in the door. Of those residents, 38 of them were from the third and fourth floors."_

Toulon

Deliberations not far off...

Toulon

Par4QC

Should be interesting, either way it goes.

I say she walks....after serving a few months for CNH.

Most seem to forget 1 factor of the case; she did not do this as a police officer. She did it as a private citizen, even if she had her uniform on. Although, I've always been under the assumption that a police officer is ALWAYS an officer, 24/7, anywhere. According to the oaths they take.

Toulon

Par4QC

I'm glad I don't live anywhere near the courtroom. If she gets off or gets a very light sentence it could get ugly over there.

I wish we were able to watch deliberations live. We only get the verdict and then maybe a book somewhere down the line.

mikeintopeka

Toulon If she gets off or gets a very light sentence it could get ugly over there.

If she is found guilty of anything, it's my understanding of the 'system' that a sentencing hearing will then be set at a later date. That's the way it is done in KS and some cases with guilty verdicts may or may not be remanded back to the jury for sentencing 'recommendations' that the judge may or may not follow.

Par4QC

Toulon If she gets off or gets a very light sentence it could get ugly over there.

If everyone had not made this out to be another "white vs. black" or even "cop vs. black" case, which it most certainly is not, everything would be fine. In fact, we would probably never even heard about it outside the city where it happened!!

Toulon

You're right that the race/cop issues really amplify the story, but I think minus any of that it's a deeply engrossing issue.

I'd be interested either way. The fall out portion is the unique part of this that is due to the cop/race thing. I'm less interested in that than I am how this jury decides and the precedent it sets for future cases.

Should you be worried that someone might say they "mistakenly" entered your residence and shot you or your loved one if she gets off? Sure. It's an irrational fear, but still a fear nonetheless that hangs on this verdict. My wife and I have talked about this case and the implications and how we'd feel if someone had shot one of us in our home in similar circumstances.

Can't wait for the verdict.

Oh, and Mike you might be right here. I don't know for sure and I should. If she's found not guilty, that's worst case scenario as far as riot possibilities and we may find that out at any moment. The longer it goes the more it favors NOT GUILTY or hung jury.

EDIT: No verdict tonight...

Par4QC

Toulon Should you be worried that someone might say they "mistakenly" entered your residence and shot you or your loved one if she gets off?

Do you know of any other instances where this happened? I don't recall ever seeing it, myself. I'd say of all shootings in the U.S., even the world, that this case may be a rare one. Except in cases where drugs are involved; I have read a few instances of mistaken addresses, and those cases involved breaking/entering.

Toulon

I can't think of any off the top of my head. There was one about the local FD or something like that going to the wrong residence and something tragic happened because of going to the wrong address. Can't remember the specifics off the top of my head.

PA-PLAYA

I've not been following the story detail by detail, but based on my general understanding of the case, I would think at the very least she serves time for manslaughter. According to an online source I perused via a law firm in Texas, there is no distinction between the usual involuntary or voluntary for that state.

Per the source:

Many states have two different forms of manslaughter: voluntary and involuntary. Texas, however, combines these two charges into one and has enhanced penalties for certain aggravating factors.

To be convicted of manslaughter, a defendant must be proven beyond reasonable doubt to have recklessly caused the death of another person. As opposed to murder, intent does not need to be proven in order to convict someone of manslaughter.

While Texas does not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, it is the only state that has a specific crime known as “intoxication manslaughter,” which is reserved for when a death is caused by someone who was impaired by drugs or alcohol. This charge most often applies to impaired motorists. All manslaughter charges in Texas are second-degree felonies which carry prison sentences of 2 to 20 years and fines up to $10,000. Intoxication manslaughter may also result in minimum sentencing (meaning you must serve a certain period of time before being eligible for parole) and a mandatory 240-800 community services hours.

https://www.medlinfirm.com/blog/the-difference-between-manslaughter-and-murder-in-texas/

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