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| Witness in Amber Guyger’s Trial Is Fatally Shot, Lawyer Says | Witness in Amber Guyger’s Trial Is Fatally Shot, Lawyer Says |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A witness who delivered key testimony in the trial of Amber Guyger — the white former Dallas police officer convicted this past week in the murder of an unarmed black man, Botham Jean — was fatally shot on Friday night, a lawyer for Mr. Jean’s family said. | A witness who delivered key testimony in the trial of Amber Guyger — the white former Dallas police officer convicted this past week in the murder of an unarmed black man, Botham Jean — was fatally shot on Friday night, a lawyer for Mr. Jean’s family said. |
| The witness, Joshua Brown, 28, who had lived in the same apartment complex as Ms. Guyger and Mr. Jean, was shot several times by an unknown assailant, Lee Merritt, the family’s lawyer, said on Twitter Saturday night. | The witness, Joshua Brown, 28, who had lived in the same apartment complex as Ms. Guyger and Mr. Jean, was shot several times by an unknown assailant, Lee Merritt, the family’s lawyer, said on Twitter Saturday night. |
| Mr. Brown’s death occurred just two days after a Dallas County jury sentenced Ms. Guyger to 10 years in prison, well short of the maximum 99 years that she could have received in the killing of Mr. Jean, a 26-year-old immigrant from the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia. | Mr. Brown’s death occurred just two days after a Dallas County jury sentenced Ms. Guyger to 10 years in prison, well short of the maximum 99 years that she could have received in the killing of Mr. Jean, a 26-year-old immigrant from the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia. |
| The sentence was seen as inadequate by some social justice advocates, who saw the trial as another example of white police officers being held to a different standard than people of color. | The sentence was seen as inadequate by some social justice advocates, who saw the trial as another example of white police officers being held to a different standard than people of color. |
| Mr. Brown was getting out of his car at an apartment complex where he lived when he was shot, Mr. Merritt said. He said the apartment complex where the shooting happened was not the same one where Mr. Jean had been killed by Ms. Guyger. | Mr. Brown was getting out of his car at an apartment complex where he lived when he was shot, Mr. Merritt said. He said the apartment complex where the shooting happened was not the same one where Mr. Jean had been killed by Ms. Guyger. |
| The shooting, Mr. Merritt said, “seems very personal.” | The shooting, Mr. Merritt said, “seems very personal.” |
| As of Sunday morning, officials had not publicly identified any suspects or a motive, but Mr. Merritt said Mr. Brown had no known enemies, had not been involved in questionable activities and had not been in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel. | As of Sunday morning, officials had not publicly identified any suspects or a motive, but Mr. Merritt said Mr. Brown had no known enemies, had not been involved in questionable activities and had not been in the middle of a lovers’ quarrel. |
| “He made his money from Airbnb,” he said. “He wasn’t involved in any gangs. All the usual suspects were kind of counted out.” | “He made his money from Airbnb,” he said. “He wasn’t involved in any gangs. All the usual suspects were kind of counted out.” |
| The Dallas Police Department would not confirm that Mr. Brown was the shooting victim, but said that officers had responded to the Atera apartments at 4606 Cedar Springs Road around 10:37 p.m. local time Friday for a reported shooting. | The Dallas Police Department would not confirm that Mr. Brown was the shooting victim, but said that officers had responded to the Atera apartments at 4606 Cedar Springs Road around 10:37 p.m. local time Friday for a reported shooting. |
| “Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and transported the complainant to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries,” the police said. “Several witnesses heard several gunshots and observed a silver four-door sedan leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed.” | “Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and transported the complainant to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries,” the police said. “Several witnesses heard several gunshots and observed a silver four-door sedan leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed.” |
| Police officials said the victim did not have identification on him. | Police officials said the victim did not have identification on him. |
| A representative of the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science, which oversees Dallas County medical examinations and autopsies, said Mr. Brown appeared to have been shot twice. | A representative of the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science, which oversees Dallas County medical examinations and autopsies, said Mr. Brown appeared to have been shot twice. |
| Sgt. Mike Mata, the president of the Dallas Police Association, said he didn’t believe that the shooting was the result of someone targeting Mr. Brown for his role as a star witness in Ms. Guyger’s trial. | Sgt. Mike Mata, the president of the Dallas Police Association, said he didn’t believe that the shooting was the result of someone targeting Mr. Brown for his role as a star witness in Ms. Guyger’s trial. |
| “Any conspiracy theorist that has ever watched a thriller — if you’re going to try to prevent somebody from testifying, it usually happens before, not after,” he said. | “Any conspiracy theorist that has ever watched a thriller — if you’re going to try to prevent somebody from testifying, it usually happens before, not after,” he said. |
| Sergeant Mata said such theories minimize the crime problem in Dallas, adding that the city had seen more murders this year than in previous years, and violent crime was up. | Sergeant Mata said such theories minimize the crime problem in Dallas, adding that the city had seen more murders this year than in previous years, and violent crime was up. |
| “He didn’t testify anything damaging,” he said. “If anything, he personalized, which we already knew he was an amazing individual.” | “He didn’t testify anything damaging,” he said. “If anything, he personalized, which we already knew he was an amazing individual.” |
| The shooting of Mr. Jean in September 2018 ignited protests and calls for justice, with demonstrations outside Police Headquarters and inside City Hall. After weeks of community tensions and accusations of preferential treatment for the police, a grand jury came back with the increased charge of murder. By that time, Ms. Guyger had been fired from the Dallas Police Department. | The shooting of Mr. Jean in September 2018 ignited protests and calls for justice, with demonstrations outside Police Headquarters and inside City Hall. After weeks of community tensions and accusations of preferential treatment for the police, a grand jury came back with the increased charge of murder. By that time, Ms. Guyger had been fired from the Dallas Police Department. |
| During a weeklong trial, prosecutors sought to paint Ms. Guyger as careless and aggressive on the night she had entered someone else’s home, pulled her service weapon and opened fire. Her defense lawyers argued that she had made an unfortunate but understandable mistake during a “perfect storm” of circumstances that ended in tragedy. | During a weeklong trial, prosecutors sought to paint Ms. Guyger as careless and aggressive on the night she had entered someone else’s home, pulled her service weapon and opened fire. Her defense lawyers argued that she had made an unfortunate but understandable mistake during a “perfect storm” of circumstances that ended in tragedy. |
| In testifying about the night of Mr. Jean’s fatal shooting, Mr. Brown said he had heard gunshots after a surprise encounter between his onetime neighbors. | In testifying about the night of Mr. Jean’s fatal shooting, Mr. Brown said he had heard gunshots after a surprise encounter between his onetime neighbors. |
| At the time, he lived directly across the hall from Mr. Jean in the South Side Flats apartment complex, which is about five miles away from the Atera apartments where he was shot. | At the time, he lived directly across the hall from Mr. Jean in the South Side Flats apartment complex, which is about five miles away from the Atera apartments where he was shot. |
| Mr. Brown said he had left his apartment in the hours before Mr. Jean was shot to watch his cousin play for the Atlanta Falcons and his friend for the Philadelphia Eagles at local sports bar, Bombshells. He caught a Lyft or Uber back home at halftime and heard “two people meeting by surprise” as he turned the corner to his apartment. | Mr. Brown said he had left his apartment in the hours before Mr. Jean was shot to watch his cousin play for the Atlanta Falcons and his friend for the Philadelphia Eagles at local sports bar, Bombshells. He caught a Lyft or Uber back home at halftime and heard “two people meeting by surprise” as he turned the corner to his apartment. |
| He heard two gunshots and immediately ran away. He testified that he had not heard shouted verbal commands like “hands.” Mr. Merritt, who represented the Jean family during the trial, said Mr. Brown’s murder “underscores the reality of the black experience in America.” | |
| “A former athlete turned entrepreneur — Brown lived in constant fear that he could be the next victim of gun violence, either state sanctioned or otherwise,” he said. “Brown deserves the same justice he sought to ensure the Jean family.” | “A former athlete turned entrepreneur — Brown lived in constant fear that he could be the next victim of gun violence, either state sanctioned or otherwise,” he said. “Brown deserves the same justice he sought to ensure the Jean family.” |
| Aimee Ortiz and Marina Trahan contributed reporting. | Aimee Ortiz and Marina Trahan contributed reporting. |