Amber Guyger, the former police officer from Dallas who was convicted in the 2018 murder of Botham Jean, has been approved for parole, as announced by the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole.
On October 1, 2019, Guyger was found guilty of fatally shooting Jean in his residence. She maintained that she had mistakenly entered his apartment, believing it to be her own after parking on the wrong floor of the building’s garage, and shot him, thinking he was an intruder.
Initially facing a sentence ranging from five years to life imprisonment, Guyger received a ten-year sentence following her conviction.
The Board of Pardons and Parole cited several reasons for granting her parole. However, they did not specify a release date for Guyger. A representative from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice stated that an official date for her release has not been established yet.
In response to the BPP’s announcement, Botham Jean’s family issued a statement to CBS News Texas. They noted that just two days prior, they had celebrated Jean’s life on what would have been his birthday. The family expressed their request for privacy as they come to terms with this news and continue to process their grief. They also conveyed their gratitude to those who remember Botham and honor his legacy.
Separately, Lee Merritt, the attorney representing Jean’s family, expressed their profound disappointment with the parole decision. He pointed out that both the family and the community had consistently opposed Guyger’s release, emphasizing that the ten-year sentence was already a minimal consequence for the loss they endured. Merritt stated that releasing Guyger after seven years diminishes the significance of their loss in the eyes of the justice system.
In a statement regarding the matter, the Dallas Police Department acknowledged that the decision may reignite emotions surrounding the tragic death of Botham Jean. They expressed their condolences to the Jean family and those affected by this loss, clarifying that parole decisions are made by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and are beyond the Dallas Police Department’s jurisdiction.
The Dallas County District Attorney’s office chose not to comment on the situation when approached by CBS News Texas.
In March 2026, Jean’s family initiated a civil lawsuit against the City of Dallas, seeking nearly $100 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges that the city attempted to conceal staffing shortages by assigning excessive overtime to officers, which contributed to fatigue and stress, noting that Guyger had recently completed a nearly 14-hour shift prior to the incident that took Jean’s life. The family contends that the city government has failed to take responsibility for Jean’s death.
