Witness who testified in Amber Guyger trial shot to death, Dallas DA says
A prosecution witness in the trial of Amber Guyger was shot to death, the Dallas District Attorney's Office confirmed Saturday. Guyger is a former Dallas police officer who was found guilty October 1 of murdering Botham Jean, her neighbor, in his home.
Joshua Brown, a neighbor of Guyger and Jean, was shot to death Friday night at his Dallas apartment complex. His identity was not immediately released, but was later confirmed by Dallas County District Attorney's Office, CBS Dallas/Fort Worth reports.
Dallas police said a man had been fatally shot around 10:40 p.m. Friday in an apartment complex near Dallas' Medical District. According to police, several witnesses heard gunshots and observed a silver four-door sedan speeding from the scene. The victim was found lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds, and was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
They said the victim had no identification on him and they could not immediately confirm his identity.
Attorney Lee Merritt, who represents the Jean family, tweeted that he had confirmed the death with Brown's mother.
Brown, a witness for the prosecution, testified September 24 that he heard what sounded like two people "meeting by surprise" followed by two shots. He said he did not hear any police commands, such as "show me your hands." But under cross-examination, he said he couldn't make out what the two people were saying.
Guyger was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison. She insisted she shot and killed Jean in his own apartment because she believed she was in her own home and he was an intruder.
Brown had since moved from that apartment complex.
Dallas County prosecutor Jason Hermus, the lead prosecutor in the Guyger case, told the Dallas Morning News on Saturday that Brown stood up at a time when others wouldn't say what they knew.
"He bravely came forward to testify when others wouldn't, " Hermus said. "If we had more people like him, we would have a better world."