Botham Jean Shooting: Protests Continue Even As Some Protestors Remain In Custody

A protest was held Monday night in Dallas against the arrest of nine activists who were staging a demonstration in Arlington, Texas, seeking justice for Botham Jean. The 26-year-old black man was shot dead by an off-duty police officer, Amber Guyger, on Sept. 6.

The nine protestors — Lelani Russell, 25; Miracle Freeman, 29; Michael Lowe, 38; Dion Williams, 29; Stephanie Briant, 29; Davante Peters, 25; Darryl Burnham, 31; Melissa Perry, 33; and Arminta “Cleo” Jeffries, 25 — were arrested outside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and kept in custody since Sunday.

“When Amber Guyger murdered #BothamJean she was released in less than 1 hour,” activist Shaun King said. “Last night (Sunday) these 9 peaceful protestors were arrested and 15 hours later the jail refuses to release them.”

They were booked for blocking entry to a Dallas Cowboys game, reports said. Arlington police said bonds weren’t set up for the protesters because of some changes made by the Tarrant County District Attorney in January this year.

Since then Arlington Police and Fort Worth Police were not allowed to set up bonds for people arrested for misdemeanor charges. They have to be taken to Tarrant County Jail where they can be set up with a bond.

“Only in America do you get gather for a class B misdemeanor and sit in jail for two days,” activist Dominique Alexander said. “Only in America, can an officer kill someone and person can block a street and get more time than a killer.”

According to advocates of the arrested persons, said they'll get a bond only by Tuesday.

On Sunday, Jean’s cousin urged the Dallas Cowboys to take a knee for the unjust death of Jean. “If you could only forget the rhetoric for one moment and stand up against injustice and violence by taking a knee for Botham Shem Jean, it would be the easiest act and the loudest message,” Pertula George-Redd wrote in a Facebook post. The Cowboys, however, did not take a knee. Other details regarding the incident remain unclear.

Jean’s death, which was first handled by the Dallas police department, was transferred to the Texas Rangers as it involved a Dallas police officer. On the day of Jean’s funeral on Sept. 13, investigators released an affidavit which said Jean had a small amount of marijuana in his apartment.

Guyger was free for 72 hours before she finally turned herself in on Sept. 9 as the warrant for her arrest was delayed due to the case transfer. Guyger claimed she mistook Jean for a burglar and shot him twice. She was released right after she posted a bail of $300,000.

Jean’s family thinks that the investigators are attempting to smear his name in order to push the blame on him rather than Guyger.

“To have my son smeared in such a way, I think shows that there (are people) who are really nasty, who are really dirty and are going to cover up for the devil Amber Guyger,” Jean’s mother Allison said.

“On the night that he was killed, the Dallas Police Department investigators were interested specifically in finding information that could help assassinate his character,” the family’s attorney Lee Merritt said adding that Guyger had already attempted to push the blame on to Jean when she said he refused to follow her verbal commands. “Twenty-six years on this earth he lived his life without a blemish. It took being murdered by a Dallas police officer for Botham Jean to suddenly become a criminal.”

Reports said Guyger has moved out of the Cedars apartment complex where the incident happened, according to an email from the management of the building to its residents.

“We are able to confirm that the other resident involved has vacated her apartment and no longer resides at our community,” the email said. The management said it could not comment on the case as the investigation is underway. It remains unclear whether the management asked her to move out or she did it on her own volition.