Remember Guyger was a 31-year-old police officer with the Dallas Police Department. She had served the force for over 4 years and was a patrol officer at the time of the incident. By all accounts, she wasn't known to the public until the night of September 6th, 2018 when a deadly mistake would change her life forever and claimed the life of an innocent man. That man was Botham Jean, a 26-year-old black accountant from St. Lucia. He was sitting on his couch in his own apartment, unarmed, relaxed, eating ice cream, when Amber Guyger walked in and fired her weapon. >> 911. This is Carla. What's your emergency? >> Hi, this is off duty officer. Um, can I get I need emails. Um, uh, I'm in number I miss >> I'm an offduty officer. I thought it was in my apartment and I shot a guy thinking that he was thinking it was my apartment. >> You saw someone? >> Yes. I thought it was my apartment. Oh my god. I'm sorry. >> Okay. And where where are you at right now? >> I'm inside the apartment with him. Hey, come on. >> What's your name? >> I'm Amber Guyger. I need to get me I'm I'm in >> Okay, we have help on the way. >> I know, but I'm I'm going to lose my dog. I thought it was my apartment. I need I need a need supervisor. Hey bud. Hey bud. Hey bud. >> I thought it was my apartment. I thought it was my apartment. I could have sworn I parked on the third floor. >> Okay, I understand. >> I thought it was my apartment. I thought it was my apartment. >> Okay. And what what floor are you in right now? >> The fourth floor. Hey bud. Hey bud. They're coming but I'm sorry. >> Okay. Where was he? Where was he shot? >> He's on the top top left. Oh my god. I'm done. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. Stay with me, bud. >> Too tired. Hurry. >> Oh, we're here. Over here. >> Okay. Go ahead and talk to him. >> No, it's me. It's I'm off duty. I'm off duty. I I thought they were in my apartment. I thought this was my floor. [Applause] [Applause] How did this even happen? According to Amber Guyger's account, she had just finished a long shift and mistakenly parked on the wrong floor as her apartment complex. Instead of entering her apartment, she walked into Botham Jeans. His apartment was directly above hers, and by a terrible coincidence, the doors were somewhat similar. Guyger claimed she believed she was walking into her own home and saw a silhouette of a man inside. Believing he was an intruder, she drew her weapon and fired two shots, striking Jean once in the chest. Botham Gene was rushed to the hospital, but he didn't survive. But let's pause here for a second. If someone walks into your home and sees you sitting calmly on your couch, do they fire first and ask questions later? What should a trained officer do in that moment? Many people were asking the same thing, especially as details began to emerge. Initially, Guyger was arrested on manslaughter charges 3 days after the shooting, but public pressure was intense. Civil rights groups, activists, and Botham's family demanded more. They believed the charge didn't reflect the seriousness of what had happened. Eventually, a grand jury indicted her for murder, and the trial date was set. And from here the nation began to watch closely, not just because of the tragic circumstances, but because this case echoed a larger discussion in America, policing, race, and accountability. In September 2019, Amber Guyger's trial began. They said Guyger's actions were unreasonable. She didn't follow proper protocol. She failed to notice obvious signs that she was in the wrong apartment, including the red welcome mat outside Jean's door and the different layout inside. Prosecutors claimed she acted recklessly and her actions cost an innocent man his life. >> Your options were at this point to go in and find the threat or your option would have been I'm going to back off. I'm going to take a position of cover and concealment and I'm going to get some help out here. Those are options, right? >> They are. >> Okay. But you chose option A, which was I'm going in to find the threat. >> That was it was the only option that went through my head. I was at home and I >> Ma'am, will you answer my questions? >> Yes, sir. You should have taken a position of cover and concealment and got help. And instead, you decided to go in. >> Yes, I did go in. >> You had a police radio on you, didn't you? >> I did. >> Did it work? >> It did. >> And why did you shoot? >> Because I was scared that he was going to come at me and kill me. >> That was your reason? >> Yes, sir. I was scared. And I I thought he was advancing towards me. He had a weapon. And then when you found out you'd shot an innocent man, what did you think? >> Everything changed. I >> Guyger's attorneys argued that it was a tragic mistake. They painted her as a tired officer who had made a human error. They said she feared for her life and responded as any trained officer might. Amber Guyger took the stand in her own defense, and the courtroom was captivated. She cried as she described the moment she realized she wasn't in her own home. She apologized to Botham Jean's family and said she wished he had been the one with the gun so that she would be the one dead instead. [Laughter] I was scared. I was scared this person was going to hear me. And I'm so sorry. Sorry, >> Miss Could you please repeat your answer? >> I was scared. Whoever was inside my apartment was going to kill me. And I'm sorry. I have to live with that every single day that I not responsive. Now that you know you found out when you came around that counter and shot an innocent man, how do you feel about it? >> No police officer ever would want to hurt an innocent person. >> Again, I'm sorry. >> I can't I can't understand. Miss Sky Girls, take a second to collect yourself before you speak. >> How do you feel what you did, Mr. John? >> I feel like a terrible person. I feel like a piece of crap. I hate I hate it every single month. And I ask God for forgiveness. And I hate myself every single day. I feel like I don't deserve a chance to be with my family and friends. I wish he was the one with the gun that killed me. I never wanted to take an innocent person's life. I am so sorry. This is not about hate. It's about being scared that night. Mr. Shook, you want to ask this question? >> Prosecutors pushed back asking, "Why didn't you call for backup? Why didn't you try to perform CPR? Why did you immediately resort to lethal force?" They pointed to text messages from earlier that day, including flirtatious conversations with her then police partner, implying she may have been distracted and not focused. On October 1st, 2019, the jury returned its verdict. guilty of murder. The courtroom gasped. Many began to cry. Some cheered quietly. Others simply sat in shock. Amber Guyger, standing alone in front of the court, wept, her shoulders shaking. Botham Jean's mother and father, who had sat quietly throughout much of the trial, raised their heads and hands, giving thanks justice had been served, at least in the eyes of many. Fired. Dallas police officer Amber Guyger braced herself for the verdict today. And when it came down, it was as bad as it could have been. >> We the jury unanimously find the defendant, Amber Guyger, guilty of murder as charged in the indictment. >> No outburst. >> You could hear the gaffs there inside the courtroom. >> Guyer took a deep breath and wiped away a tear. A court officer did her best to comfort Guyger as she stroked her hair. The family of Botham Jean, the victim, expressed relief after the verdict. Many had attended the trial every day wearing red. That was his favorite color. Jean's mother raised her arms, thankful for the victory. You could hear supporters cheering the guilty verdict outside the courtroom. [Applause] Amber Guyger looked stoic as she walked out, but she broke down just out of view of the cameras. Her family remained in their seats looking shell shocked. >> What happened next? No one could have predicted. During the victim impact statements, both Jean's younger brother, Brandt Jean, took the stand. He looked at Amber Guyger and then said something that stunned everyone. >> If you truly are sorry, I know I can speak for myself. I I forgive you. And I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you. And I don't think anyone could say it. Again, I'm speaking for myself, not even bad for my family, but I love you just like anyone else. And I'm not going to say I hope you rot and die just like my brother did, but I see I I personally want the best for you. And I I wasn't going to ever say this in front of my family or anyone, but I don't even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you because I know that's what that's exactly what both of them would want you to do. >> He then turned to the judge and asked if he can give her a hug. There was a long pause. The judge nodded and Brandt Jean stepped down and hugged Amber Guyger. Not a quick hug, but a long emotional embrace. Guyger sobbed into his shoulder as people in the courtroom cried. I don't know if this is possible, but can can I give her a hug, please? Please. >> Yes. Moments later, Judge Tammy Kemp did something unheard of. She left the bench, walked over to Guyer, hugged her, and handed her a Bible. This moment made headlines around the world. Some called it beautiful, others called it problematic, while many were moved by the moment of forgiveness. Others were outraged. Civil rights activists asked, "Would a black defendant ever receive this kind of compassion from a judge? Was it appropriate for a judge to hug a convicted felon in open court? Did this act of grace undermine the justice that the family fought so hard for?" >> For the first time, Judge Tammy Kemp is also opening up about the moment that she gave former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger a hug and then gave her a Bible, all in the courtroom. >> When Mr. Jean made the first request and followed it with please. My heart wanted to say yes, but my head was well aware of the sheriff's policies. But when he said please a second time, I could not refuse him. >> After embracing Jean's family herself, she hugged the defendant too. >> Mr. Jean has forgiven you. Please forgive yourself. >> And she's standing by that hug. Miss Guyger ask me for a hug and I'm embarrassed to say that she had to ask me twice. I saw the change or deterioration in her uh throughout the process. Um and so I felt like I wanted to not lose Brent John's uh compassion. What followed? Giving Guyger her personal Bible led to a formal complaint from the Secular Freedom from Religion Foundation which accused her of procilitizing. She told her Steve Picket, "I never asked Miss Gger to pray and contrary to popular opinion, I did not pray with her. I had no role to represent the state during a victim impact moment." >> At the same time, Brandt Gan received national recognition. He was later honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for an extraordinary act of heroism. >> I want you to ask yourself, what are you doing to ensure that there will be no other families like mine? No other little brothers that have to model ethical leadership and forgiveness of a cop whose lack of training and discipline caused them to carelessly take the life of another. I'm truly grateful for this award and I hope others can see the life in what I do and thank you. >> Still, the case remained divisive. Amber Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison with eligibility for parole after 5 years. assessed the defendant's punishment at 10 years imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In addition, we assessed a fine of $0. Many felt the sentence was too light for a murder conviction. Botham's mother, Allison Gene, while appreciative of the guilty verdict, expressed disappointment at the short sentence. She said, "This should never have happened. I will continue to fight for reform. This is not the end." Amber Guyger later filed appeals arguing that the evidence did not support a murder conviction and should have been considered criminally negligent homicide, but the appeals court upheld her conviction in 2021. She remains behind bars as of now. This case will forever be remembered not just for the tragedy, but for the unexpected moment of forgiveness that sparked a national conversation. Can justice and forgiveness coexist? Was the hug an act of healing or an insult to accountability? What would you have done if you were in that courtroom? Let us know your thoughts below. And if this story moved you, share it. Someone out there may need to hear this today. Don't forget to watch the next video on your screen. I'll see you there.