Texas's parole board granted parole Thursday to former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger. In 2018, Guyger walked into Botham Jean's apartment, one floor above hers, and shot him while he ate ice cream. She said she thought it was her own place and he was an intruder. A jury convicted her of murder in 2019, and she got 10 years. At her sentencing, Jean's brother Brandt hugged her. The board turned her down in 2024, the first time she was eligible. This time it pointed to her prison record and the programs she finished. She hasn't left prison yet, and the prison system hasn't set a release date. She'll spend the rest of her sentence, through 2029, under supervision. The board decided two days after what would have been Jean's 35th birthday.

1. Seven Years Is Too Short for Killing a Man in His Home

The family's lawyer, a Dallas activist and a pastor at Jean's church say the board cut her punishment short.

The family's lawyer says 10 years was already too little. Lee Merritt, a civil rights lawyer for the Jean family, said, "We are deeply disappointed." "A 10-year sentence was already a fraction of what was lost," he said. "Releasing Ms. Guyger after seven years makes that loss feel even smaller in the eyes of the system." Jean's mother, Allison Jean, said back in 2024 that Guyger should serve all 10 years. In their own statement Thursday, the family asked for privacy and didn't argue with the board.

An activist says a Black victim gets less justice. Dominique Alexander, who founded the Dallas group Next Generation Action Network, said the decision reflects "the two systems of justice" that Black communities know. He said one system "extends mercy to those who take our lives," and the other denies Black people "protection, dignity, and accountability."

A pastor at Jean's church questions it but forgives her. Sammie Berry is a pastor at Dallas West Church of Christ, where Jean sang in the choir. "Is that really justice for her to be able to walk around free, and we've lost him forever?" he asked. He also said he forgives her.

The family is still fighting in court. A federal jury ordered Guyger to pay Jean's family $98.65 million in 2024, and the family is now suing Dallas to make the city pay it. Daryl Washington, the family's lawyer in the civil case against Guyger, said Guyger "cannot run away from" the judgment. He called the city the most disheartening part. He said it "has refused to be held accountable." In April, a city spokesperson said the city doesn't respond in cases of pending litigation.

2. But This Is How Texas Parole Works

A lawyer and a prison consultant say parole at this point is normal in Texas.

Experts call the timing normal for Texas. Texas lets someone convicted of murder ask for parole after serving half the sentence. Anthony Farmer, a lawyer who isn't involved in the case, told FOX 4 it's "not very unusual." Prison consultant Bruce Cameron said the system considered her a model inmate. "People might not like it, but that's kind of a fair ratio of time served on the 10," he said.

The board judged how she behaved in prison. It said she had no pattern of violent arrests and a satisfactory adjustment in prison. She also finished programs meant to help her hold a steady job. Parole lawyer Joe Padian, who isn't involved in the case, told WFAA the board probably believes "she's not going to reoffend." The Dallas Police Department said it had "no role in this decision." The Dallas County district attorney's office protested her release in 2024. On Thursday, it declined to comment.

3. She's Sorry and Ready to Work, Her Lawyer Says

Guyger's lawyer says she has changed and has a plan for life outside.

She has a job and a home waiting. Robert Rogers, who defended Guyger at her 2019 trial, told WFAA, "She's got a place to live and a place to work." He called the shooting a mistake. He said she spent her time in prison on programs and rehabilitation. "We're very relieved," he said. "It's been a long seven years."

Her lawyer says she still feels remorse. "She's been remorseful. She's stayed remorseful. She's still remorseful," Rogers said. He called her "a good person" who will "have to live with it for the rest of her life."

Where This Lands

The board says Guyger has no pattern of violent arrests and adjusted satisfactorily in prison. It says she finished programs to help her hold a job. A lawyer and a prison consultant who know Texas parole call the timing normal. The Jean family's lawyer, Lee Merritt, says 10 years was already too light for killing a man in his own home. Dallas activist Dominique Alexander says releasing her early shows there are two systems of justice, and Black victims get less. Her lawyer says she's remorseful and ready to work. Texas prisons will set her release date. The family's suit against the city is still pending.

Sources