Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger walked out of a Texas prison Friday after the state parole board granted her early release, nearly three years before the end of her 10-year sentence for the 2018 murder of Botham Jean.
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved Guyger’s release citing her clean behavioral record while incarcerated, no history of documented violent offenses, and her participation in vocational programs aimed at preparing her for life after prison. The board had denied her first parole request in 2024.
Guyger was convicted in October 2019 after fatally shooting Jean on September 6, 2018. She testified that after finishing her shift still in uniform, she mistakenly entered Jean’s apartment at the South Side Flats complex near Dallas police headquarters, believing it was her own unit one floor below. She fired her weapon after seeing a figure inside, claiming self-defense. Jean was sitting in his own home eating ice cream when he was killed.
Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who represents Jean’s family, condemned the parole decision in a public statement. “Botham Jean was in his own home, eating ice cream, when his life was taken. He did nothing wrong” Merritt said. He added that a 10-year sentence was already far too lenient for what the family lost and that releasing Guyger after seven years diminishes the weight of that loss even further.
Jean’s family has expressed shock and sadness over the board’s decision through advocates, though they have not yet made a direct public statement. Thousands of community members and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office had previously opposed her release.
Guyger’s parole comes roughly two years after a federal civil jury ordered her to pay $98.6 million in damages to Jean’s family following a 2024 civil trial. Guyger did not appear at the civil proceedings and had no legal representation, with her criminal defense attorney stating she could not afford counsel for the civil case.
The Dallas Police Department released a statement acknowledging the emotional weight of the parole decision while clarifying it had no involvement in the process. The department said parole determinations rest solely with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Jean’s legacy remains present in Dallas. A stretch of Lamar Street running alongside police headquarters was renamed Botham Jean Boulevard in his memory. His case sparked national conversations about police accountability and racial justice that continue to resonate years after his death.