Former Dallas Cop Amber Guyger Denied Parole After Serving 5 Years

Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger has been denied parole, according to the family of her victim, Botham Jean.

Guyger, 36, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2019 after being convicted for Jean’s 2018 murder. In her trial, Guyger’s defense argued that she mistakenly identified Jean, 26, who was unarmed, as an intruder in her apartment when she opened his front door while thinking it was her own apartment door following one of her patrol shifts. The case gained national attention and inspired a number of protests in Dallas.

The Dallas Morning News reported on Thursday evening that Allisa Charles-Findley, Jean’s sister, received an email on Thursday informing them of the decision to deny parole for Guyger.

“Allison Jean, Jean’s mother, told The News in a statement that her family 'feels a sense of relief,' adding it shows 'part of the accountability that she must have for her actions,’” the report read. “She has said she doesn’t sense remorse from Guyger after previous failed appeals. Texas’ highest criminal court upheld her conviction and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case in 2022.”

According to The Dallas Morning News, the Dallas County District Attorney also opposed Guyger being granted parole at this time. Guyger became eligible for parole last month after she served half of her 10-year sentence. Guyger could’ve been sentenced to anywhere between 5 and 99 years, although at trial, prosecutors sought a sentence of at least 28 years in prison.

Allisa Charles-Findley, sister of Botham Jean told WFAA, “I wasn't expecting a response so quickly. We were interviewed on Monday by the parole commissioner, the lead commissioner. It feels like a load lifted."

Jean’s murder inspired “Bo’s Law,” which was signed into law in 2021 and requires police officers to keep their body-worn cameras on throughout the entirety of an investigation. Also in 2021, the section of South Lamar Street where Jean lived in the South Side Flats was renamed Botham Jean Boulevard. Guyger will be eligible for parole again in October 2026.