*There’s a debate brewing on Twitter about the Black, female judge presiding in the Amber Guyger case, and whether she’s on the take and following the code of white supremacy by allowing a lane for the murderous former cop to walk.
Guyger, 31, killed her upstairs neighbor Botham Jean on Sept. 6, 2018, in his Dallas apartment. When she took the stand Friday, she tearfully explained to jurors how she mistook the apartment for her own and believed the 26-year-old accountant to be a burglar — so she fatally shot Botham.
Judge Tammy Kemp ruled on Monday that the jury can consider the Castle Doctrine during deliberations, CBS reports. The Castle Doctrine, similar to the Stand Your Ground Law, allows a person to use “or using force (even deadly force) in the protection of a home, vehicle, or other property if someone attempts to forcibly enter or remove an individual from the premises.”
Meanwhile, as noted by Assistant District Attorney Jason Fine in his closing arguments Monday, Guyger was “an intruder” in Botham Jean’s home — so how exactly does this law apply to her case?
One Twitter user responded to this new twist in the case with: “This is bullsh*t. Guyger didn’t “stand her ground.” She MURDERED a person in HIS OWN HOME. F*ck this Castle Doctrine shit. Racist white women’s tears are a helluva drug.”
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I believe Amber Guyger is gonna get off. And that will be a tacit invitation for racists to kill Black people without the pretense of reasons for justification. If that happens it would be logical to use stand your ground laws to our advantage.
— Torraine Walker (@TorraineWalker) October 1, 2019
As noted by filmmaker Tariq Nasheed, “Now the defense can argue: “because Guyger THOUGHT she was at her own apartment, she had the LEGAL RIGHT to kill what SHE THOUGHT was an intruder in HER HOME.”
The Judge also ruled that jurors may consider manslaughter when sentencing Guyger.
“She did not think that night. When they talk about ‘deadly force’ …she had to use deadly force? Bo was about to eat some ice cream. Was Bo a threat? No. He was not a threat,” said Fine.
Fine reminded the jury of all the mistakes he believes Guyger made the night she killed an innocent, unarmed Black man.
“This case is about accountability for unreasonable decisions. You 16 are the voice of the community. This cannot be allowed. It cannot be acceptable. Not here in Dallas, not here in Texas — not anywhere.”
Guyger’s attorney Toby Shook urged jurors not to base their decision on emotion.
“You can’t say ‘I feel so horrible [edit: for Botham Jean], I am going to make something happen.’ You can’t use emotion when making your decision.”
Guyger’s attorney is hoping the jury deems her use of force “reasonable.” If they do, she’ll likely be acquitted of the crime under the Castle Doctrine.
Meanwhile, peep some of the reactions on Twitter from folks outraged that Castle doctrine defense is even an option in this case.
One Twitter user wrote: “So a black woman who was in her house, being attacked, and fired a warning shot, couldn’t use a stand your ground defense. But a white woman who walked into SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE and killed him, can. And that’s what we’re calling liberty and justice for all these days”
So a black woman who was in her house, being attacked, and fired a warning shot, couldn’t use a stand your ground defense. But a white woman who walked into SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE and killed him, can. And that’s what we’re calling liberty and justice for all these days https://t.co/kIZcCKybJH
— Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) September 30, 2019
Nasheed added, “The reason why the Castle Doctrine was allowed in this case is because the white supremacists has rigged this trial from top to bottom already, while giving the impression that its racially fair. And we can see who’s really pulling the judge’s strings” (see Twitter embed images below).
He also noted that “7 jurors on the Amber Guyger trial come from anti-Black cultures. And the judge just allowed a lane for them to let Guyger skate.”
“If the tables were turned and she was the one murdered they would never consider the castle doctrine crap. They’re are giving her an out because she’s a; cop, white, and a woman, and they don’t give a damn about Botham Jean. Screw them racists,” wrote Twitter user @BrianHaigh3.
The reason why the Castle Doctrine was allowed in this case is because the white supremacists has rigged this trial from top to bottom already, while giving the impression that its racially fair. And we can see who’s really pulling the judge’s strings pic.twitter.com/ptLq0K1GFB
— Tariq Nasheed ?? (@tariqnasheed) September 30, 2019
There are 7 jurors on the Amber Guyger trial who come from anti-Black cultures. And the judge just allowed a lane for them to let Guyger skate.
Lets see what this verdict will be
— Tariq Nasheed ?? (@tariqnasheed) September 30, 2019
Yesterday the judge instructed the jury that Amber Guyger was allowed to stand her ground in BOTHAM’S HOUSE!
She said the “Castle Doctrine” applies to Amber.
That word “castle” comes from the phrase “your home is your castle.”
How the hell can she stand her ground in HIS HOME? https://t.co/qjT9DDG2ku
— Shaun King (@shaunking) October 1, 2019
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