Attorney Benjamin Crump believes that the verdict in Amber Guyger’s murder trial is proof that when people of color “show up for Jury duty, we can get equal justice under the law.” Her guilty verdict was “bittersweet” Crump says. It’s great that she was found guilty because it sends a message that you cannot walk into a persons home and murder them. If she wasn’t found guilty he wonders, “where would Black people be safe?”
This is the first time that a white female police officer has been convicted of first degree murder for killing a Black person.
Botham Jean’s family and neighbors testified to his character and from what they said he seems like he was as close to perfect as humanly possible. “You shouldn’t have to be near perfect,” to be an unarmed person of color in America to get justice in America Crump says.
Guyger is facing up to 99 years and “they could put in for the death penalty” but he doubts that’ll happen. But, one thing working against her is the Facebook posts that were brought to light that could be considered “racist.”
Now it is up to the jury to decide on an “appropriate” sentence for Guyger “in this unjustified killing of this unarmed Black man” who was eating ice cream on his couch when he was killed.
Crump hopes that this case will be a “”turning point in America” to make police “think and deescalate before they shoot first and ask questions later.”
Ben Crump: Amber Guyger’s Verdict Was ‘Bittersweet’ was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
