Botham Shem Jean: Police 'trying to smear' shooting victim

  • Published
Selfie of Botham Shem Jean in suitImage source, Botham Shem Jean/Facebook
Image caption,

The Dallas mayor has called Botham Shem Jean - who was killed in his flat - a "model citizen"

Dallas police have been accused of smear tactics after court documents revealed marijuana was found in a man's flat where he was shot dead by an off-duty police officer.

Lawyers for 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean said police were trying to "criminalise the victim".

Officer Amber Guyger, who shot him, says she mistook his apartment for her own and thought he was an intruder.

She has been charged with manslaughter and has been released on bail.

A search was conducted at Mr Jean's apartment after the deadly shooting.

Court documents released on Thursday showed that police had found a small amount of marijuana at the property, along with other items such as a lunch box and laptop.

Lawyer Lee Merritt, who represents the family of Botham Jean, said this showed investigators were trying to discredit the victim.

"They immediately began looking to smear him," he said.

Civil rights groups and activists have been outraged by the news. Many were also angered by a tweet from a local affiliate of the conservative-leaning Fox News.

Several asked why the discovery of drugs was relevant to the case.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post by ACLU

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post by ACLU
Presentational white space
This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 2 by Sherrilyn Ifill

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 2 by Sherrilyn Ifill
Presentational white space
This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 3 by Delaney Tarr

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 3 by Delaney Tarr
Presentational white space
This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 4 by Shaun King

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 4 by Shaun King
Presentational white space

Cornell William Brooks, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, cited the notorious case of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old who was murdered after a white woman accused him of making lewd remarks and touching her.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 5 by Cornell William Brooks

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 5 by Cornell William Brooks
Presentational white space

Family and friends paid tribute to Mr Jean at his funeral on Thursday, which was held at a church in a district of Dallas.

He grew up on the Caribbean island of St Lucia and went on to work for the professional services giant PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Michael Griffin, minister at the Singing Hills Church of Christ, said Mr Jean was "a light in a dark room", CBS reported, external,

"Celebrate the life of this young man. Celebrate the fact that God gave the world this young, energetic, smart, educated, talented, young man of God," he told those present.