Dallas Officer Who Killed Man in His Own Home Says He Ignored Her Commands

The New York Times ^ | 10 September 2018 | Sarah Mervosh and Matthew Haag

[Theoria]

A Dallas police officer who fatally shot her neighbor in his apartment, claiming she mistook the unit for her own, told the authorities that the door was already ajar when she entered and that she shot him after he ignored verbal commands, according to court records released on Monday.

The officer, Amber R. Guyger, 30, who has been charged with manslaughter, could face additional charges in a case that has led to accusations that the officer received preferential treatment and debate about whether race may have played a role in the deadly encounter between a white police officer and a black man in his home.

On Monday, the Dallas County district attorney, Faith Johnson, insisted that the investigation into the death of the neighbor, Botham Shem Jean, 26, had not ended and that her office could seek charges “including anything from murder to manslaughter.”

“We’ll present a thorough case to the grand jury so that a right decision can be made,” Ms. Johnson said at a news conference.

[Karl Spooner]

SWAT teams routinely raid the wrong houses and have killed innocent people. I don’t think anyone ever gets charged either. And that all happens with calculated prior planning. She’ll probaby get by very lightly unless they find something else.

[867V309]

thanks for that, I respect your reply. I just haven’t seen any credible source saying they had a relationship.

[Reno89519]

I don’t think I’m going overboard at all. One can be ‘law & order’ and also balk at the extremes—too trigger happy, overarmed, cover up and protect each other. The apparent entitlement of this officer to shoot the guy because he didn’t follow directions in his house after she broke in. Nothing about him being armed or threatening her. Both he should have been as it was his home she invaded. She murdered an unarmed citizen. It could have easily been one of us.

[null and void]

But the larger whole shields the bad apples. I know this is needed for unit cohesion, but when good cops protect bad cops rather than clean house, it’s no better than a vast religious organization protecting pedophiles, is it?

Is it really worth degrading the respect for all police to protect an occasional known dirty cop?

[null and void]

It will be interesting to see if this is accurate, I expect we will know in a day or so. I won’t even be offended if it’s not and you laugh at me then!

[null and void]

She murdered an unarmed citizen. It could have easily been one of us.

There but for the grace of God...

“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” Barack Hussein Obama, 7/2/2008

They don’t call it a Civil Defense force, that would imply we need (or perhaps that we deserve) defense. The official name is National Civilian Community Corps.

I think of it as the NatCCC, or more simply, as the NatCs...

[JerseyDvl]

Quite Guilty.

[867V309]

I won’t even be offended if it’s not and you laugh at me then!

no laughing, as we are both in the dark here. I think the tox report will tell us a lot, and passage of time will reveal a relationship if it existed.

[Mr Rogers]

Can you imagine what would happen if a concealed carry non-cop went to the wrong apartment and killed an unarmed person inside, and then said, “Oops, wrong apartment! So sorry....”

[Jarhead9297]

That’s just it, do we know anyone is being protected at present? The DA is the one responsible for bringing charges not her fellow officers. I’m almost just as certain she is also on administrative leave (the default decision since she is union) until the investigation is concluded and the DA decides to bring charges. In addition rank and file probably won’t be investigating it’ll probably be the ever popular internal affairs who are no friend to rank and file cops. I don’t see where the “protection” is coming from. Thus far it appears to be taking shape. We don’t get to hear or see everything going on because like most criminal investigations you’re not supposed to hear about much until it actually goes to trial

[Jarhead9297]

And if she did that’ll all come out at trial. However one cop going trigger happy or murdering another does not change my mind about the thousands nationally who put on the uniform everyday. One bad shoot or murder (jury is still out) out of millions of interactions a year doesn’t blanket cover an entire profession. If she did murder him she will be dealt with as a murdering criminal. This doesn’t make all cops murdering criminals is my only point

[DownThe405]

I would LOVE to know if they can ping her cell phone activity, such as text messages being sent, or Instagram usage.

If drugs/alcohol aren’t involved, I’d bet she had her face buried in her cell phone when she got off at the wrong floor and tried to enter the wrong apartment.

How many times are you stuck at a stoplight behind a driver who doesn’t see the light turn green because they’re staring at their phone? How many times do you get into an elevator and everyone immediately pulls their phones out?

[dragnet2]

The leftist and media would make that a blockbuster story, run it for days calling for max charges and sentence, what follows are stories demanding banning concealed carry etc. A whole different story as it’s likely there would be little sympathy or leniency.

[blu]

Pig.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

“Guyger drew her firearm, gave verbal commands that were ignored by Jean,” the affidavit says. “As a result, Guyger fired her handgun two times striking (Jean) one time in the torso.”

If that's the way it happened, she's in trouble. As far as I can discern, failure to obey verbal commands is not ground for using lethal force against anyone. It seems to me that her first instinct has always been to rely on her weapon as an equalizer and to use it proactively. She's a weak female masquerading as a cop, and now she's got major consequences to deal with. And an innocent man is dead.

[Reno89519]

No, it didn’t make my late dad, a career police officer, a murderer either. My point is that the police are too full of themselves, too armed, too trigger happy, too protected in being able to do what they want with impunity. And, yes, we often see them get away with murder. Police should be required to prove themselves innocent, not the other way around because they are police, armed, and licensed to kill. This Dallas cop was in uniform, broke into a neighbors house, gave them orders, then killed them when they didn’t comply. If that is not murder, then what is it? She should be convicted and executed. Anyone covering up for her should get same as an accessory.

[taxesareforever]

Let’s hear from the tenants who hear someone shouting “open up, open up”. Guess the door may not have been open.

[familyop]

I’m in awe of the public affairs genius at work in those league of municipal tyranny lobby organizations. They’ll continue to become all-powerful for sure and rule the world, and there’s nothing that we can do to stop them.

[Oops. Sorry for the stinking load of irony and sarcasm there.]

[Boomer]

I may be jumping to a conclusion but she looks like she likely has a small persons Napoleon attitude. You know how they over compensate with their roar and quick to shoot.

[ifinnegan]

It's not a left right issue.

The agitprop left is, though, trying to make it a right/left racist issue.

This us the sort if thing they're disseminating.