Botham Jean’s Mother, Allison Jean, Speaks on Tonight’s Premiere of ‘Impact of Murder’

Tonight Investigation Discovery’s Impact of Murder will return for season two. The first episode of the season will tell of the murder of Botham Jean, entitled  “The Ballad of Botham Jean.”

On September 6, 2018, Jean was fatally shot in his Dallas, Texas apartment by Amber Guyger, a former off-duty Dallas police officer, who has since been convicted for the 26-year-old accountant’s murder. 

The case made headlines because it was hard to get to the bottom of what took place in the apartment that night, though Guyger argued that she shot Jean, thinking he was an intruder in her home and argued the castle doctrine. 

Guyger was sentenced to ten years in prison. 

Now a little over two years later, Impact of Murder will share Botham’s story in a two-hour documentary that includes his mother Allison, father Bertrum; sister, Allisa Charles-Findley; and brother Brandt,  as well as those who worked with the family to bring justice to Botham, including lawyer Lee Merritt and prosecutor Jason Hermus.

We were privileged to speak with Botham’s mother, Allison Jean, about the documentary, and she says that she and her family gave their consent and also agreed to participate in the series because they want to keep “Botham’s name and memory alive, to ensure his legacy continues, and to show to the world who he (Botham) was, and how he died.”

While the airing of this episode not only comes almost two years after Botham’s death, it’s also days after the Texas State Representative Carl Sherman has proposed Bo’s Law. This bill is intended to bring more transparency and more integrity to law enforcement by amending dashcam and body cam policies and legal defenses such as the castle doctrine and mistake of fact.

Allison Jean says she is happy with the bill but states, “It will not benefit Botham anymore because he’s already gone. But considering the guys (other victims of police-involved murders) coming after him, I think it’s a very good move to safeguard others’ lives.” 

In the past, Allison Jean has alleged corruption within the Dallas Police Department and feels it was displayed during trial. She continued, “It shows the corruption that came out during Amber Guyger’s case- I hope that’s out of Bo’s Law, it cannot happen anymore. Also, the Castle Doctrine will be viewed in a different way because it would be fairly explicit that no one except the homeowner owns his castle. An intruder cannot come into somebody’s castle (home) and say that it is theirs. 

According to the Washington Post’s database of deadly police-shootings, 1,018 people have been murdered within the past year. We are currently living a period of social unrest in the US right now, as protests have been taken place since May, and the nation seems divided on whether Black lives matter or not. 

Botham was a native of St. Lucia, who came to America to further his education and work, with hopes of returning to St. Lucia and running for Prime Minister. 

Botham came to America for a better life, but that is far from what he received.  

“We come to America to seek a better life. We come for education; we come for medical attention; we come on vacation,” says Botham’s mother. “But we must be cognizant that there are other elements that are within America, and Botham was very much aware of these issues. He spoke about them, and he safeguarded himself against them. And that is the pain- the most painful part of his death, in that he did everything to safeguard him and dying the way that he did… in the comfort of his home.”

While the family has not seen the episode just yet, Allison Jean believes she will be pleased with its outcome, as she feels that the documentary did just as it was supposed to do, keep Botham’s name and legacy alive and share his story.

“The Ballad of Botham Jean,” airs on Thursday, September 10 from 9-11 p.m. EDT/PDT on Investigation Discovery. 

About the Botham Jean Foundation

The Botham Jean Foundation is a non-profit organization whose drive is to continue the work our beloved Botham started, providing aid to the most vulnerable. Some of his passions included giving back to the Saint Lucian community by providing financial and emotional support to the Boys’ training center, Transit home for children, and the Marian Home for the elderly.

The foundation will also be providing support to the families impacted by police brutality as well as persons in need of immigration guidance, which are both causes dear to our hearts.

Learn more about the foundation at https://bothamjeanfoundation.org/.