Man honored for hugging Amber Guyger, cop who killed his brother Botham Jean in his own apartment

DALLAS, Texas -- In October, the world watched in awe as Brandt Jean asked a courtroom judge if he could hug former police officer Amber Guyger after she was sentenced for killing his brother Botham Jean, and now Brandt is being honored for this stunning display of grace.

The Institute of Law Enforcement gave 18-year-old Brandt its "Ethical Courage Award," an honor normally reserved for police officers.

"I'm truly grateful for this award, and I hope that others can see the light in what I did," Brandt said.

In front of the organization, Brandt used his spotlight to address the treatment of black men at the hands of police.

"I want you all to know that I am not a threat, that young black males are not inherently dangerous or criminal," he said.

After Guyger received her 10-year prison sentence, Brandt said in a victim impact statement that he didn't want her to go to jail and advised her to devote her life to Christ. The two were then allowed to embrace in front of the courtroom as former Dallas police officer sobbed.



Guyger shot and killed Botham Jean in his apartment last year. The 31-year-old said she mistook Jean's home for her own and thought the 26-year-old was an intruder.