Amber Guyger released from Texas prison on parole after Botham Jean murder conviction
The former Dallas police officer left prison on October 16 after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence. She will remain under parole supervision until 2029.
Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of murdering her neighbor Botham Jean, was released from a prison in Gatesville, Texas, on October 16 after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence. She will serve the remainder under parole supervision, rather than in prison.
Her release followed the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles’ October 1 approval. That decision, covered in NewsJaws’ earlier report on Guyger’s parole, cleared the way for her release; October 16 marked her departure from prison. The board had denied an earlier parole request in 2024.
Parole supervision through 2029
Officials told CBS News Texas that Guyger will remain under parole supervision until her sentence expires in 2029. They described regular check-ins, travel restrictions, home visits and employment requirements. CBS also reported, citing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, that she may not live in Dallas County, contact Jean’s family or Dallas police officers, or leave Texas without approval.
NBC News reported that the parole board cited Guyger’s satisfactory adjustment in prison and her participation in programs intended to improve her chances of stable full-time employment. Those were the board’s stated reasons for granting parole, following its earlier denial.
The murder conviction and the family’s response
Guyger shot Jean, 26, inside his Dallas apartment in September 2018. At trial, she testified that she had parked on the wrong floor of their apartment building, entered his home believing it was hers and thought he was an intruder. A jury convicted her of murder on October 1, 2019, and sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
Jean’s family opposed her release and asked for privacy after the parole decision, according to the Guardian. Lee Merritt, an attorney who previously represented the family, said he was deeply disappointed by the decision and described the 10-year sentence as a fraction of the loss. The Dallas Police Department told CBS News Texas that the parole decision was outside its authority and that it had no role in making it.
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Sources and context
- Amber Guyger, police officer who murdered black neighbor in his home, released from prisonThe Guardian
- Amber Guyger, former Dallas police officer, released from prison after serving 7 years for Botham JeanCBS News; reporting by CBS News Texas
- Amber Guyger, ex-Dallas cop convicted of killing neighbor whose house she mistakenly entered, is released on paroleNBC News
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.