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Dallas Police Accused Of Smearing Man Shot By Officer In His Own Home
A police affidavit shows officers seized marijuana from Botham Jean's apartment after the fatal shooting, but his family says police are merely trying to discredit the victim.
An attorney for the family of a man shot dead by a police officer in the man's own home says a police affidavit shows investigators immediately sought evidence to discredit the victim.
Lee Merritt represents the family of Botham Jean, 26, who was killed in his Dallas apartment on Sept. 6. Officer Amber Guyger, who shot him, said she mistook his apartment for her own and thought he was an intruder.
A police affidavit shows that officers seized, among other items, 10.4 grams of marijuana and a marijuana grinder from Jean's apartment. Merritt said that showed investigators were immediately looking for drug paraphernalia. In his words, "They immediately began looking to smear him."
Guyger is charged with manslaughter and remains free on $300,000 bond.
Religious leaders from the Dallas area say they are outraged and saddened by Jean’s death. A group of Dallas-area church leaders gathered for a press conference Thursday afternoon immediately following his funeral, which was attended by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall.
Sammie Berry, an elder and pulpit minister at Jean's church, said the family cannot rest until justice is served and Guyger is punished "to the fullest extent of the law." He described Jean's death as an avoidable tragedy and said the group wants to know why Guyger has not been fired.
He said they "cannot let Bo become another statistic."
Friends and family remembered Jean as a talented singer and devout Christian.
His mother, Allison Jean, recalled her son's commitment to his faith at a prayer vigil last weekend. Jean said her son "did everything with passion."
[Photo: Facebook]
