Dallas police union rep not indicted

DALLAS — A Texas grand jury will not indict the president of a police association accused of tampering with evidence in the case of a white Dallas police officer who fatally shot her unarmed Black neighbor in his apartment two years ago.

On Tuesday, a Dallas County grand jury declined to indict Dallas Police Association President Michael Mata over the alleged evidence tampering, his attorney said.

Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger is serving a 10-year sentence for the murder of Botham Jean in his apartment in September 2018.

Guyger, 31, said she returned from work after a long shift and mistook Jean’s apartment for her own, which was directly below his. Finding the door ajar, she entered and shot him, thinking the 26-year-old was a burglar.

Guyger called 911 to report the shooting, was taken into custody and placed in a squad car. Dashcam footage shows Mata walk to the car and tell Guyger not to talk to anyone. Mata also asks a sergeant to turn off the car’s camera.

His attorney, Robert Rogers, said in a statement that “protecting the constitutional rights of police officers” is part of Mata’s job and that the association president’s actions were “consistent with” Dallas Police Department policy.

Jean’s family attorney, Darryl Washington, said Tuesday that Allison Jean, Botham’s mother, was “shocked and frustrated” by the grand jury’s decision.

“The public wants to know that police officers aren’t protecting police officers,” Washington said.