The jury has begun deliberating the sentence for Dallas killer cop Amber Guyger, who was convicted of fatally shooting her black neighbor when she mistakenly entered his apartment.
Amber GuygerAPGuyger, 31, appeared Wednesday before a Dallas County court for the sentencing phase in 26-year-old Botham Jean’s murder.
The ex-cop claimed that she feared Jean was an intruder after she mistakenly entered his apartment on Sept. 6, 2018, instead of her own.
Jean had been unarmed and sitting on his couch eating ice cream when he was gunned down by Guyger using her service weapon.
Guyger — who faces up to 99 years in prison — has elected for the jury to decide her sentence, instead of the judge.
The jury of 12 will have to unanimously decide the punishment with a minimum sentence of five years in prison.
They have received written instructions about a “sudden passion defense,” which would allow the offense to be reduced to a second-degree felony if the defendant can prove during sentencing that the crime occurred due to “sudden passion arising from an adequate cause.”
On Tuesday, jurors delivered a guilty verdict in the case after deliberating for less than a day.
