Former Dallas Officer Amber Guyger Found Guilty of Murder

After less than a full day of deliberation, a jury has found Amber Guyger guilty of the murder of Botham Jean.

During the week-long trial, the defense argued that Guyger's mistake, though tragic, was understandable as many tenants have reported going to the wrong floor of the apartment building, and that Guyger was exhausted after a long day at work. According to NBC News, Guyger testified that she feared for her life when she entered what she believed to be her apartment and found Jean,

I never wanted to take an innocent person's life. I'm so sorry. This is not about hate — it's about being scared.

The prosecution attempted to discredit the idea that Guyger was exhausted, bringing up sexual texts made between Guyger and her partner just minutes before the shooting and showing they were planning on meeting later. They also argued that Guyger missed several blatant signs that she was on the wrong floor and not entering her own apartment. It was also argued that Guyger did not provide proper life-saving aid, which she admitted to, saying she only had one hand free due to being on the phone with 911 and she was not in a good state of mind. Physical evidence showed that when Jean was shot, he was either in the process of standing up from his couch or cowering.

The jury was to decide if Guyger acted reasonably in using deadly force, if the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that she intended to kill Jean, or if she should be found guilty of manslaughter. The jury started deliberating late on Monday and returned a guilty verdict Tuesday morning. Sentencing is scheduled for later today, and Guyger could face life in prison.