The former US policewoman, who shot her unarmed neighbor in his home in Dallas, has been sentenced to a 10-year prison term. Lawyers in the state of Texas had already found her guilty on Tuesday. Now the sentence was announced.
The ex-policewoman had stated in court that when she arrived home after a long shift, she mistakenly thought she had entered her own apartment. She thought the man was an intruder - and shot at him out of fear for her life. The incident occurred on September 6, 2018 and had rekindled the debate over police violence against African Americans in the US.
The victim is a 26-year-old black man. The prosecution said he had sat on his couch watching TV and eating vanilla ice cream when the policewoman came in and shot him. In court, she had denied having acted for racist motives. The two shots from her service weapon fired her out of fear.
Tom Fox / The Dallas Morning News / DPA
One of the victim's brothers hugs the ex-convict convicted of murder: she had invaded her neighbor's apartment and shot the unarmed 26-year-old
After the sentence was pronounced, an unusual gesture of reconciliation arose in court: the victim's younger brother embraced the defendant and said he could forgive her. This was reported by the "Dallas Morning News". He continued, "I speak for myself, not for my family, but I love you like everyone else."
The prosecution had originally demanded 28 years in prison. The lawyer of the family of the victim described the now imposed punishment as inadequate.