Amber Guyger ordered to pay Botham Jean's family more than $98M in damages in civil case
Posted by mylinuxguy@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 71 comments
Rockm_Sockm@reddit
She should pay with jail time.
I am loathe to say this because i dont want to defend her. They need to stop with these bullshit mulimillion judgements against civilians while corporations get 1950s fines.
happy_puppy25@reddit
Seriously. I’m an anxious person and worried about small infractions like driving fines. Here this person is that commits an awful act and never goes to prison. This world isn’t right
Joeylaptop12@reddit
Well I am loathe or whatever to say this, you only think it’s bullshit because you don’t understand the process. Or maybe even feel an innate subconscious antipathy towards certain groups seeking justice?
Regardless, as others have noted, it’s to ensure she can’t profit off her killing of an innocent black man
Your strange irritation be damned
FearerOfonomatopoeia@reddit
Yeah, this is why I never liked cop supporters or people who talked about "justice porn" or "FAFO".
I'll see "FAFO" to justify killing a homeless man for screaming in public or a petty thief shoplifting. Meanwhile, a upper-class person who steals millions gets a few years. Meanwhile, a cop who does something extremely bad gets a warning or a year. Meanwhile, a a multi-billion corporation who regularly steal billions in stole wages or environmental damages or tax evasion gets fined for less than they saved by committing the crimes.
There's no justice if the most powerful get slaps on the wrist while the poorest and most vulnerable of society get the worst punishments.
beaute-brune@reddit
Not taking what you’re saying as defending her, but I don’t see it as bullshit in the age of Internet and hypermedia. It’s so easy to spin your life into a story people will pay to see or straight up finance now, running your lifestyle and likeness as its own business. So many people, no matter how shitty they are, building podcasts, vlogging, setting up donation sites, becoming talkshow and oped guests, Onlyfans, so on and so forth. I see this as a good defensive move by the family.
Mimaw10@reddit
His brother (a strong Christian) in a packed televised courtroom spoke out telling her he’d forgiven her and asked the judge if he could give her a hug - which he did. One of the most emotional moments I’ve ever witnessed / that had everyone in tears. When this new case against her was filed - she declined attorney representation. The entire civil case against her - and the INSANE monetary verdict - is such a surprise. She is a devastated & very remorseful young woman sitting in prison! So yes, I wonder what point the family is trying to make. When is enough ENOUGH?
CrimsonAllah@reddit
Yeah Good luck on that
Agile_Definition_415@reddit
It's so she doesn't profit off of it.
Now if she tries to make a career of it, Kyle Rottenhouse style, the family can take some of that.
vayaconburgers@reddit
That's already illegal. It's extremely unlikely that anyone will ever be able to collect on this, unless for some weird reason, Amber does decide to make a book or something all the money would go towards the judgment. So now, she is basically double blocked from profiting off telling her story. The laws as the exist prohibit her from profiting off talking about her crime and would require that those profits go to the victim. Now the judgment is just like a second wall. More likely than not, Amber would just like to serve her sentence, get out and live a pretty quite life. Any real financial "justice" for the victims probably is going to come from the developer of the apartments. If I recall right the City has already settled with his family.
nomnomnompizza@reddit
Genuinely curious what are the laws around this? Had no idea that was even a thing.
swinglinepilot@reddit
Generally refers to a Son of Sam law, the first of which was passed in NYS and named after a serial killer operating within NYC. That serial killer didn't actually try to do anything to profit from his murders, it was the speculation that he might that led to the law
ihaterunning2@reddit
So I thought most of these laws only pertained to people still in prison. Basically no one can profit off their crimes while still in prison.
But I clicked the wiki link and NY’s and California’s Son of Sam laws were actually overturned by SCOTUS, citing a violation of free speech. New laws were written that requires any criminal that receives $10K or more for the victim’s family to be notified and allow time to sue civilly so they can recoup those funds.
FirebunnyLP@reddit
Where does the developer of the apartments fall into any of this? Genuinely curious.
YourPenixWright@reddit
I can't find anything on the outcome of that trial but theres an article when they filed the lawsuit of the apartments saying that the locks on the door were faulty. That's why Amber Guyger was able to get in the apartment in the first place.
monolith_blue@reddit
I believe it was the previously reported faulty door locks.
NeilZod@reddit
Has the family sued the developer?
pirate40plus@reddit
Except Rittenhouse didn’t break the law and defended himself from a couple of idiots in a riot.
Agile_Definition_415@reddit
Stop yapping
pirate40plus@reddit
He was acquitted in a criminal case and prevailed in 3 civil suits.
TchoupedNScrewed@reddit
Hot take: I don’t need the legal system to tell me he’s a POS with a busted moral compass
Agile_Definition_415@reddit
So was OJ
pirate40plus@reddit
Nope, OJ was acquitted in a criminal trial and found responsible in the civil trial. There was only 1 civil trial for him.
Launchpad903@reddit
Going to look for trouble and finding it isnt exactly protecting yourself
pirate40plus@reddit
Thats why he was carrying a med kit and offering to help people
sector9junkie@reddit
And also a f***ing rifle, was he gonna bandage them up with that?
pirate40plus@reddit
It was a riot! Rifle seems reasonable
Chreiol@reddit
I’m curious what the relation is to Rittenhouse? Surely there isn’t a single aspect of this case that anyone would want to hitch themselves to, right? I hope at not at least.
alnelon@reddit
They’re both white and some people’s prejudice assumes that all white people support all white people no matter what.
Obviously that’s not true but racism never really leans too much on reality.
FIalt619@reddit
She could totally market herself as “That hot Trumpy bitch who the libs sent to jail” if she wanted to.
SomethingHasGotToGiv@reddit
Hot??
FIalt619@reddit
Compared to Rittenhousr
earthworm_fan@reddit
It's just to prevent her from doing a book or documentary or selling rights in some other way
Tipsy247@reddit
I think the family got pissed she was seeking parole
TexasLiz1@reddit
I love the fact that she didn’t get parole because she kept filing appeals and so it showed that she was not in any remorseful and did not in fact take full accountability for her crime.
My heart grew three sizes the day I heard that. She should die in prison.
connivingbitch@reddit
So they filed a civil suit? Pretty sure that was going on prior to her trying to get parole. And would they really be that surprised that she was trying to get paroled? This is some pretty flaccid supposition.
earthworm_fan@reddit
No, the family wants money if she were to make money from the case.
MickTravis1@reddit
From the attorney for the Jean family comments post verdict it seems like they were making a case against the city and the jury bought it. I know they tried to go after the city and it was previously thrown out. His comments included things like police violence needs to end and qualified immunity needs to be abolished.
Spare-Cap-3900@reddit
She’s already serving her time. I agree she should not profit from this, but don’t condemn her financially for the rest of her life. How can she rehabilitate with this anchor around her neck? I don’t agree with this.
noncongruent@reddit
Will she earn enough money to satisfy this judgement during the rest of her life? Almost certainly not. Will Botham Jean's family be waiting there to collect their share of every dollar she makes the rest of her life? Certainly. She'll never have a good credit score again, it'll be in the shitter and that'll hurt her finances for the indefinite future. It's the least she deserves.
Rtfmlife@reddit
She will declare bankruptcy after this just like OJ Simpson did. Take a look at what happened with the OJ Simpson judgment if you want a preview.
Own-Reception-2396@reddit
She isnt a celebrity like oj
Realistic-Molasses-4@reddit
Celebrity status does not, in this context, give her any additional advantage.
Own-Reception-2396@reddit
People cared about oj, she is a nobody in a forgettable largely local case
fsi1212@reddit
That doesn't really matter in bankruptcy cases. Bankruptcy is actually very simple. I did it successfully with no attorney assistance.
hullowurld@reddit
does this judgement follow her if she declares bankruptcy?
Rtfmlife@reddit
I dunno why the other poster said yes, because generally negligence and personal injury judgments are dischargeable in bankruptcy. The only exceptions are willful and malicious injury, fraud, and other intentional torts.
If and when she gets out of prison and declares bankruptcy (or declares it in prison) the Court would have to determine the dischargeable status of the judgment. The exceptions are listed in Section 523 of the bankruptcy code.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/11/523
hullowurld@reddit
Thanks for your detailed response
Traps86@reddit
yes
GrundleKnots@reddit
He asked "does" not "should"
Joeylaptop12@reddit
People in the comments are more angry about the family’s legal strageties then about Botham Jean’s killing
It’s almost like they can’t stand facing the reality of anyone being punished for their racism or attempt to profit. Expect nothing less from r/Dallas
jessreally@reddit
Good verdict. I wish the judgement applied to the whole family so they can't profit off of this killing either
Realistic-Molasses-4@reddit
To what degree is the family responsible for this tragedy?
jessreally@reddit
The degree to which the Guyger family should be able to profit off of her killing Botham Jean, though, is 0.
Realistic-Molasses-4@reddit
Have they even attempted to do this? In any way in the years since it has happened?
jessreally@reddit
Is your point that they won't because they haven't?
Realistic-Molasses-4@reddit
I'm just asking if you have any reason to suggest these people have done anything to profit off this death, other than being related to the person that committed the crime. Are you going to answer the question, or just state that you have zero indication they have done any indication that they have done anything wrong?
Pretty simple question, really.
jessreally@reddit
Saying I hope the Guyger's can't do something isn't in the least implying that they have done that. Your questions are based on what you inferred rather than what I actually said. I can infer things from your responses, too. As shown in my replies to you.
Anyway like I said, I hope the Guyger's can't profit off Amber Guyger's killing of Botham Jean.
Realistic-Molasses-4@reddit
You did not say that. At all.
It's a question. Why is it so hard for you to give a simple answer? If the answer is no, just say that. If the answer is yes, show us.
There's no need to infer anything. When someone asks me a question about what I think, I answer. You seem to be unwilling to do that.
I ask you again, do you have any indication they have attempted to do that, or intend to do that? It seems like a very straightforward answer.
jessreally@reddit
I know what I said. I'm looking for loopholes in this judgement granted today to the Jean family. I'm not concerned about what the family of the killer Amber Guyger has done. I'm concerned with ways to ensure they can't profit off her killing Botham Jean. If you have no ideas towards that end, then you are of no use to me in this thread so get out my replies
Realistic-Molasses-4@reddit
Apparently not, because you did not say "I hope" until I started questioning you.
So why don't you answer the question?
That's nice. Do you have any evidence that her family has attempted to do this or intends to do this? You're refusing to answer the question.
Then stop replying or quit being a coward and answer the question. These aren't "your" replies. You could very easily just state what you think one way or the other, right now it looks like you're avoiding the question.
jessreally@reddit
Don't confuse yourself as someone to whose questions I owe answers. Plenty of ways to get you out of my replies. Thank you for amplifying my posts.
earthworm_fan@reddit
The average user here doesn't even know the basic facts around the case.
A_Homestar_Reference@reddit
Redditors constantly surprise me with the amount of angry vengeance they lust for in things they're barely involved with and hold no direct experience with. All you need is a tasty headline.
undeniablykostas@reddit
How? How can a person who's in prison pay that?
Browning1917@reddit
LOL!
That's kinda like what that idiot Bannon has been charged with telling him he's supposed to pay BILLIONS to his plaintiffs.
Ain't gonna happen.
socraticrex@reddit
They got a judgement but they’ll never get it. Hollow victory.
NoReplyBot@reddit
Yes we all know that. The rest of her life is fucked. And if she tries to go get a book deal, talk at some maga rally, then the family will get that money.
The family isn’t at home waiting for a $98m check.
Own-Reception-2396@reddit
Why would she be invited to a trump rally?
whriskeybizness@reddit
I mean they have claim to basically every dollar she makes for the rest of her life.
She may get out of jail but she’ll never be financially free again.
MagicJohnsons69@reddit
Debt from lawsuits can’t be garnished in Texas. As long as she doesn’t put anything in her name that can catch a lien, she’ll never pay a dime
General_Lake9863@reddit
I understand that loss is priceless and that poor family really lost an amazing young man, but gosh 98 million is just insane! I also understand that theyre trying to "send a message", but come on 54m like they agreed on originally wouldve been plenty