In spite of the Texas Rangers best efforts in the Amber Guyger case, the jury rendered a guilty verdict. Unlike the Ranger who testified he couldn’t find any criminal conduct, the jury did.
I felt that the Murder charge was a stretch. The facts supported the charge but as a practical matter it would be tough to convict. What set this police shooting apart from others is that this guy was in his home and did nothing to provoke his death. I guess we could blame him for not locking his door. That oversight set him up for the attentions of a crazed female officer.
Her defenders would have you believe it wasn’t her fault. It was all just a cascade of mistakes that piled up, until the fatal conclusion. Call me a cynic. Damn near every murderer I have run across has made the same claim or a variation on the theme. How were they to know that:
- That driving by and shooting into a residence could cause somebody’s death?
- A damn fool would object to being robbed and not do what he was supposed to…
- Bitch had it coming, but I love her too much!
- Blood alcohol of .15%? I didn’t mean to kill anybody. I’m an alcoholic.
- I only hit him with the baseball bat once.
A grand scheme leading to somebody’s death; a motive, is a great device for mystery writers. In real life, knowledge that the act can cause the death, or intent to do so, is all that is required to charge murder. The former officer testified that when she shot, it was to kill. (She must of been asleep the day they covered that topic in the police academy). She accomplished her purpose and now it is time to pay the price.
I am not putting her in the same category as gang bangers, drunks, robbers and wife beaters. She did that herself. My compassion extends to the point that I think she deserves a sentence at the low end of the scale.
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. She joined the Dallas Police force because she wanted to do good. In the long run it might have been kinder had DPD said thanks, but you don’t have what we want. That attitude is inconsistent with affirmative action, so some people die and others go to prison behind good intentions.
