Following the news that Amber Guyger’s defense team has filed to overturn her murder conviction, Botham Jean’s sister, Allisa Findley, has issued a response.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Findley views Guyger’s appeal as disrespectful. As REVOLT readers might recall, the ex-policewoman fatally shot Jean inside his apartment home, claiming that she thought he was an intruder in her household. As a result, she received 10 years in prison.
“Jean was doing nothing wrong on the day he was murdered,” Findley said. “Jean was sitting in his own apartment, minding his own business. I feel like she received a slap on the wrist for taking my brother’s life. This tells me that she feels like she didn’t do anything wrong. She did not step on my brother’s toe. She took his life.”
Guyger’s attorneys argued that there wasn’t enough evidence for the murder charge that their client received. They are requesting that the ex-cop be charged with negligent homicide, which would result in a lesser sentence.
“The evidence was legally insufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Guyger committed murder because (1) through mistake, Guyger formed a reasonable belief about a matter of fact—that she entered her apartment and there was an intruder inside—and (2) her mistaken belief negated the culpability for Murder because although she intentionally and knowingly caused Jean’s death, she had the right to act in deadly force in self-defense since her belief that deadly force was immediately necessary was reasonable under the circumstances,” Guyger’s defense stated.
During the trial last year, Jean’s close friend Alexis Stossel explained the devastation she felt after hearing about the fatal shooting. “Next to my husband, Botham was my absolute person,” she said. “I love you, but this man is going to be in my life forever, and he’s going to be a part of us forever.”