Extraordinary act of mercy: Brother of Botham Jean hugs and forgives Amber Guyger after 10-year sentence imposed originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was sentenced on Wednesday to serve 10 years in prison for the fatal 2018 killing of an innocent man she shot when she mistakenly entered his apartment believing it was her own.

But in a remarkable act of kindness, the brother of the victim took the witness stand and spoke directly to Guyger, saying, "I love you like anyone else," and later hugged her in the courtroom before she was led off to prison.

The Dallas County jury reached a unanimous decision on the sentence just before 4 p.m. Central Standard Time, after deliberating for a little over an hour.

Judge Tammy Kemp ordered Guyger and her attorneys to stand as she read the jury's decision on sentencing.

Guyer was turned over to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to immediately begin her sentence. She could be eligible for parole in five years.

PHOTO: This Oct. 1, 2019, booking photo provided by the Dallas County Sheriff's Department shows former Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger. (Dallas County Sheriff's Department via AP) More

The sentence appeared to initially disappoint the family of the victim, Botham Jean, who had hoped for far harsher punishment for Guyger. Several members of the family broke down in tears, shaking their heads as if in disbelief of the jury's decision.

But Jean's 18-year-old brother, Brandt Jean, took the witness stand and spoke to Guyger, saying, "I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you."

"I love you just like anyone else and I'm not going to hope you rot and die," Brandt Jean told Guyger. "I personally want the best for you. I wasn't going to say this in front of my family, 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 for you. Give your life to Christ. I think giving your life to Christ is the best thing Botham would want for you."

Brandt Jean then asked Kemp if he could give Guyger a hug, a request the judge granted.

He stepped off the witness stand and met Guyger in front of the judge's bench and embraced as Guyger broke into tears.

PHOTO: Botham Jean's brother Brandt hugs Amber Guyger after her sentencing, Oct 2, 2019. (ABC News) More

Moments later, Kemp spoke to Guyger privately and also hugged her and appeared to give her words of hope. She also handed her a Bible.

Jean's mother, Allison, said at a post-sentencing news conference that while the death of her son "changed my life, changed my family's life," she will accept the jury's decision and try to move on.

"That 10 years in prison is for her (Guyger) to reflect and to change her life," Allison Jean said. "But there is much more to be done by the city of Dallas. The corruption we saw during this trial must stop. The city of Dallas needs to clean up inside. The Dallas Police Department has a lot of laundry to do. The Texas Rangers need to get on board."

She noted the contamination of the crime scene after her son was killed and said the poor use of the training Guyger received as a police officer "should never happen again."

"His (Botham's) privacy was violated. She intruded on him and that was not enough. She killed him," Allison Jean said. "If Amber Guyger was trained not to shoot in the heart, my son would be standing here today."

Many supporters of the Jean family standing outside the courtroom said the sentence was like a "slap in the face" to the family and began chanting, "No justice, no peace!"

Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said he accepted the sentence of the jury, which was sequestered for the entire trial.

"I expected perhaps longer, but I respect what they did," Creuzot said outside the courtroom.

Creuzot described the compassion Brandt Jean showed to Guyger as "an extraordinary act of healing and forgiveness."

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