The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved early parole for Amber Guyger after she served seven years of a 10-year sentence for the 2018 killing of her neighbor, Botham Jean. Guyger was convicted of murder and, in a separate 2024 civil trial, was ordered to pay nearly $100 million for excessive force and constitutional violations. The parole board cited her institutional record and completion of rehabilitation programs; Jean's family and their attorney said they were deeply disappointed. The state prison system will determine Guyger's actual release date.
Amber Guyger Granted Parole After Serving Seven Years Of 10-Year Sentence In Botham Jean Case
Botham Jean leading worship at a university presidential reception in Dallas on 21 September 2017.Photograph: Jeff Montgomery/AP
A former Dallas police officer convicted in the 2018 killing of her neighbor, Botham Jean, was granted early parole on Thursday after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence.
Who: Amber Guyger, 38, a former Dallas patrol officer who is white, was convicted of murdering 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean, who was from St. Lucia.
What happened: On 6 September 2018, Jean was at home eating ice cream and watching television when Guyger entered his apartment, which she said she mistook for her own, and fatally shot him. Guyger was arrested three days later and fired from the department before her trial.
Criminal and civil outcomes: Guyger was convicted of murder and received a 10-year prison sentence. Separately, in 2024 a federal jury found she had used excessive force and violated Jean's constitutional rights, ordering her to pay nearly $100 million in damages to Jean's family.
Parole decision: The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Guyger's first parole request in 2024 but approved her release this week when she became eligible to apply again. The board said it conducted "a thorough review and consideration of a plethora of information," noting there was no documented pattern of violent arrests or convictions in her record, that she had maintained a satisfactory institutional adjustment, and that she completed prison programs designed to help her secure employment after release. The board did not set a release date; the state prison system will determine the timeline.
Family reaction and public context: Jean's family and their civil rights attorney, Lee Merritt, expressed deep disappointment. Merritt said a 10-year sentence was already a small measure of justice and that releasing Guyger after seven years makes the loss feel smaller to the system, though the family continues to live with the loss every day. The case drew national attention and became part of a broader public conversation about racial disparities and police use of force in the United States.
During the criminal sentencing hearing, Jean's younger brother, Brandt, offered Guyger forgiveness in court and embraced her after asking the judge's permission. The presiding judge, Tammy Kemp, also embraced Guyger and later gave her a Bible. Those moments drew criticism and debate about compassion, justice, and courtroom decorum.
Police statement: The Dallas Police Department told NBC News Dallas-Fort Worth it played no role in Guyger's parole application or the parole board's decision, and said it understands the decision may bring renewed attention and emotion surrounding Botham Jean's tragic death.
What remains unclear: It is not yet known exactly when Guyger will be released; the state prison system will set the release date and conditions if any apply.
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