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DALLAS – The case against a white policeman from Dallas who shot and killed a black neighbor at his house will be presented to a grand jury, which could decide more serious charges than manslaughter, the district attorney overseeing the case said Monday. Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said her office will first gather all the evidence surrounding Thursday's fatal shooting by Dallas agent Amber Guyger, who told the authorities that she had confused the police. neighbor's apartment with his.
Guyger was arrested Sunday night and jailed in nearby Kaufman County before being released on bail. Mayor Mike Rawlings said the officer was parked on the wrong floor of the garage after returning from work on Thursday night. It was shortly before she shot Jean Botham, 26 years old.
Johnson said his office is waiting to present a "full case" to the grand jury, but has not given any timetable. She said the panel will be able to weigh "all aspects" of the case, including possible charges of manslaughter or murder.
She said the Texas Rangers, who are also investigating the case, have made the decision to issue the warrant for manslaughter.
Dallas police officer Amber Guyger (left) is charged with manslaughter for allegedly killing Botham Jean after confusing his home with his own.
Kaufman County, Texas Jail / CBS News
Johnson said he had a "heated debate" with the Rangers during a two-hour meeting on Sunday during which his office gave his opinion and insight, but did not specify what the agencies had discussed. She stated that the final impeachment decision would be up to the grand jury.
Johnson said that she had met the family of Jean, who attended the press conference. She is committed to ensuring that "justice is done".
"We are going to unravel what we need to unravel, do what we need to do and present a full record to the Dallas County grand jury," said Johnson.
When asked why Guyger was allowed to go elsewhere than in Dallas County Jail and why his arrest had taken place several days after John's death, Johnson said that these decisions had been made by the Texas Rangers.
The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office said Monday that Jean had died from a gunshot wound in his chest. His death was found to be homicidal.
The lawyers for Jean's family called for Guyger's arrest, claiming that the fact that she remained free for days after the shooting showed that she was receiving treatment favorable. Shortly before the announcement of his arrest, they held a press conference during which they stated that their legal team had presented to the prosecutors new evidence – a witness and a video. They did not provide details.
"It is out of the question that she left the scene of this incident – even under her story – without being handcuffed that day," said family lawyer Lee Merritt, at the time of the incident. 39, a press conference Monday.
The day after the shooting, police chief U. Renee Hall said his department was seeking manslaughter against Guyger, a four-year veteran of the police. But Hall said Saturday that the Texas Rangers had asked his department to disregard the situation because they had learned new information and wanted to investigate further before a warrant was issued.
Meanwhile, Jean's family hired lawyer Benjamin Crump, known to have represented the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. On Monday, Crump called the circumstances of Jean's mortal fire in his own "shocking" apartment.
According to the police, Guyger shot and killed Jean after returning in uniform to the South Side Flats complex, where they both had apartments after his shift.
Guyger's blood was taken at the scene for alcohol and drug testing, Hall said, but the authorities have not released any results.
Jean's mother, Allison Jean, wondered if the race could be a factor. His son grew up in St. Lucia, a Caribbean island, before going to the University of Arkansas.
"If it was a white man, would it have been different? Would it have reacted differently?" Allison Jean said Friday.
Speaking at a press conference Monday, Jean and his lawyers called for more transparency. Jean said after meeting with the prosecutor, she still had no answer to the question that weighed most in her mind: "What happened?"
Merritt said the district attorney did not have any answers to the family's "common sense questions".
Jean was not the first person shot by Guyger. She shot a man named Uvaldo Perez on May 12, 2017, while he was on duty.
According to a sworn affidavit against Perez, the police were looking for a suspect when Guyger and another officer were called to assist a third officer. Perez came out of a car and became combative with Guyger and another officer. A fight began and Guyger pulled his Taser to Perez, who then ripped him off. She then fired her gun and fired, injuring Perez in the abdomen.
Sgt. Mike Mata, president of Dallas' largest police union, the Dallas Police Association, on Saturday called for "an open, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the event," reported the Dallas Morning News.
He described John as an "extraordinary individual" and said that "if the grand jury deems it necessary, that officer should have to answer for his actions in a Dallas County Court".
Friends and family gathered Saturday at the Church of Christ Dallas to remember Jean, who had been working for the PwC accounting firm since graduating in 2016 to Harding University.
