On Wednesday, it was announced that former police officer Amber Guyger will be sentenced to 10 years in prison for fatally shooting Botham Jean in his own apartment on September of 2018 in Dallas, Texas. Jean, a young attorney, hadn’t done anything wrong prior to when the shooting occurred. In fact, reports claim that Jean was simply sitting in his own apartment, eating some ice cream, when he was shot and killed. Guyger claimed she accidentally entered Jean’s apartment, thinking it was her own, and mistook Jean as an intruder, according to The New York Times . Even after this horrific tragedy, Botham’s brother Brandt only offered kindness to his brother’s convicted killer.
Because Guyger took the life of an unarmed black man without significant reason or cause, the prosecution asked for her to be sentenced to no less than 28 years in prison. The number 28 was chosen with special meaning, as it is the age Botham would be now had he not not been tragically killed.
The fact that Guyger was convicted of murder but only sentenced to 10 years in prison was taken as an insult to some activists who thought she deserved far more time behind bars. However, Botham’s brother Brandt expressed a different sentiment while in court. While so many expected Brandt, who is only 18-years-old, to want revenge for his brother’s death, the young man had nothing but love and forgiveness to offer when addressing his brother’s killer in court. The young man, while visibly in pain, chose to forgive Guyger for the pain she has caused him and his family.
“I love you just like anyone else and I’m not going to hope you rot and die. 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 exactly what Botham would want for you. Give your life to Christ. I think giving your life to Christ is the best thing Botham would want for you.”
#BothamJean ’s younger brother forgives #AmberGuyger , crosses courtroom to embrace her. @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/FyYJHDsEgw
— Brian Curtis (@BrianCurtisNBC5) October 2, 2019
Upon concluding his statement, he requested that the court allow him to give Guyger a hug. The court gave him permission and Guyger rushed to throw her arms around him.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Guyger faced a maximum of 99 years in prison for killing Botham. While in court on Tuesday, Botham’s mother and father sobbed while discussing the hole Botham’s murder had left in their lives.