Texas Cop Who Murdered Black Man in His Home Admitted She's Racist in Text Messages
After convicting Amber Guyger of the murder of Botham Jean, Texas jurors were presented with racist and violent text and social media messages composed by the former Dallas police officer before the fatal shooting.
Guyger, 31, who is white, faces 99 years behind bars as the conviction phase of her trial resumes on Wednesday.
She was found guilty on Wednesday of killing her 26-year-old neighbor on another floor, who is black, inside his own apartment, claiming she mistook him for someone burglarizing her own home.
According to WFAA, jurors heard prosecutors present text messages from Jan. 15, 2018, as Dallas officers were assigned to the Martin Luther King Jr. parade.
“When does this end lol,” read a text to Guyger, to which she responded, “When MLK is dead… oh wait…”
As the texted conversation turned to the parade attendees, WFAA reports Guyger texted, “Just push them… or spray your pepper spray in that general area.”
The Washington Post reports that, in another text exchange dated Sept. 4, 2018, someone reached out to Guyger about adopting a German Shepherd.
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“Although she may be racist,” the dog’s owner messaged Guyger.
“It’s okay,” Guyger replied. “I’m the same.”
In the same group text thread, she wrote, “I hate everything and everyone but y’all,” according to the Post.
The state also shared text messages sent between Guyger and her ex-lover and police partner, Officer Martin Rivera, from March 9, 2018, in which they seem to disparage black officers.
“Damn I was at this area with 5 different black officers!!!,” she wrote to him, according to the Dallas Morning News. “Not racist but damn,” he responded.
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“Not racist but just have a different way of working and it shows,” she replied.
Social media posts made by Guyger, which prosecutors presented to jurors Wednesday, were violent in nature.
One image she shared shows a military sniper, along with text that reads: “Stay low, go fast; kill first, die last; one shot, one kill; no luck, all skill.”
In another post, Guyger wrote: “I wear all black to remind you not to mess with me, because I’m already dressed for your funeral.”
She further commented she had a gun, shovel and gloves ready to go, according to the reports.
Additionally, Guyger commented, “People are so ungrateful,” on a post featuring a cartoon character with the text: “No one ever thanks me for having the patience not to kill them.”
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Also on Wednesday, Jean’s mother, Allison Jean, shared the pain she’s endured since her businessman son’s killing.
“My life has not been the same,” his mother told jurors. “It’s been a roller coaster. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat.”
Guyger told jurors during her testimony at trial she mistakenly walked into Jean’s apartment on Sept. 6, 2018, and believed it was her own apartment.
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“I was scared whoever was inside of my apartment was going to kill me, and I’m sorry,” Guyger testified last Friday while sobbing. “I have to live with that every single day.”
Jurors were given the option of finding Guyger guilty of manslaughter, a lesser conviction.
It was not immediately clear Wednesday if Guyger intends to appeal her conviction.
