Dallas (WBAP/KLIF) – The head of the Dallas Police Association wants a delay in the much anticipated Amber Guyger trial. The former Dallas Police officer is charged with murder in the death of a neighbor last September. Guyger says that she mistakenly entered the wrong apartment, and shot Botham Jean to death, thinking he was an intruder in her own unit.
A jury was seated last Friday with the trial scheduled to begin on Monday.
Sgt. Mike Mata, president of the DPA, (pictured right) wants a 60 to 90 day delay based on safety concerns.
Among concerns, Mata cited the influx of visitors during the trial, which is expected to last two weeks. Mata says over a million people will be traveling to the city for the State Fair of Texas during the trial period. The 24-day fair runs from Sep 27 through Oct 20th
The department has already told officers they can’t take time off during the trial, in anticipation of backlash depending on the verdict.
Mata also referenced known activists groups that travel to the metroplex during high-profile events.
“It’s common knowledge that several groups that come in from outside the state, we have that in other protests that we’ve had inside the city. It’s happened in other cities.”
Mata says that requests to city and county officials to move the trial have been met with replies such as, “It’s out of our control.”
(Copyright 2019 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News)
