WTE: True Justice

A Caucasian police officer without a warrant barged into a black man’s apartment yelling for him to put up his hands. Before he knew what was happening, Botham Jean, a 26-year old immigrant, was shot in the chest and died at the scene.

It happened just over a year ago, on September 6, 2018. The officer, Amber Guyger, was tried and convicted of murder on the last week of September.

In Dallas, tensions between the Black Lives Matter movement and the law-enforcement community go back to July 2016. Police monitoring a protest of two officer-involved shootings were targeted by a sniper. Twelve officers were shot and five died. Guyger’s mistake ripped the scab from a recent wound.

She told investigators that she unwittingly got out of the elevator one floor below her own apartment. Arriving at the door of what she thought to be her apartment, she found a man inside and reacted as though he were an intruder. Only after the shooting did she realize her grave error.

Since the shooting, Guyger remained silent while the Jean family gave numerous public statements. They accused the officer and the city of Dallas of numerous improprieties. Suspicions of bias lingered even after the guilty verdict and a ten-year prison sentence had been handed down.

Raw emotions were exacerbated—and sometimes exploited—by special-interest groups--each eager to advance its own agenda. In this toxic stew, hope for a just and satisfying outcome is bleak. Justice, not only for Botham Jean but for any murder, assault or injustice is elusive.

A higher justice is needed. That begins with repentance. Guyger called 911 immediately. She is recorded frantically apologizing to Jean, “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to. I’m so sorry.” A year later, when she could pour out her heart, she fought uncontrollable tears to tell the court, “I ask God for forgiveness and I hate myself every single day.”

Still, all the repentance in the world cannot make up for the terrible wrong. Nor can it be a substitute for just punishment, a fact acknowledged in her attorney’s sentencing statement. There was no question that jail time was necessary. But an eternity in prison still would not match the crime.

The victim’s younger brother changed everything. When Brandt Jean took the stand he said,

“I wasn’t ever going to say this in front of my family, or anyone. But… I don’t even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you. Because I know that’s exactly what Botham would want you to do. And the best would be to give your life to Christ. I love you as a person. I don’t wish anything bad on you.”

Then, as if the courtroom was not stunned enough, he turned to the judge and said, “I don’t know if this is possible but, can I give her a hug?”

Physical contact between witnesses and the accused is a major breach of security. It is not supposed to happen. The bailiffs were baffled. All waited for the judge’s reaction to this unprecedented request. She seemed to recognize that something otherworldly was taking place and granted the request.

Brandt stepped out of the witness stand and walked toward Amber. Amber did not walk. She ran toward her victim’s brother. They clung to each other through heaving tears of grief mingled with joy. Months and years of pent up tensions were dissolved during that hug.

Reconciliation reverberated through the courtroom. Judge Tammy Kemp again did something extraordinary. Leaving the bench, she embraced and comforted the family. She then entered her chambers and emerged moments later carrying a well-worn Bible. This she brought to Amber.

Thumbing through the pages she opened to a specific page. Then she gave the Bible to Amber with instructions issued in the voice of judicial compassion and wisdom: “This is your job for the next month. Right here, John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” [NIV].

This is the answer for a world gridlocked in guilt, hopelessly and irreversibly sunk in inexcusable crimes. Worldly justice will always come up short. True justice only comes from the cross of Christ.

Predictably, atheist activists now want to punish Judge Kemp. For decades they have been on a crusade to drive human decency out of the public square. To the extent that they have succeeded, we all have been impoverished.

Last week from a Dallas courtroom America saw a ray of hope. Spontaneous love conquered the demons of anger, hate and despair. It reminded us of what was lost. That glimpse of joy beckons America to open the shades again and let that light chase away the darkness.