In a surprising move, CBS This Morning on Tuesday defended a judge in Texas who gave a Bible to convicted murderer Amber Guyger. Judge Tammy Kemp last week made the dramatic gesture after the brother of the man the police officer shot called on Guyger to turn her life over to Jesus. CBS’s Vladimir Duthiers highlighted the complaints of atheist organizations: “There is a religious group Freedom From Religion Foundation group. It’s a secular group that challenges religious displays in government.”
But liberal co-host Gayle King lept to the defense of Judge Kemp: “She's getting slammed for being human. I actually don't understand the controversy. She hugged Amber Guyger after the trial was over, not during the trial, not before the trial.” King continued, “She said, 'She didn't have a Bible.' She was just trying to show compassion. I don’t know why that's a wrong thing.”
CBS played a clip of the judge defending what Duthiers called her “controversial” actions: “She will forever be the murderer of Botham Jean. How she carries that thus forward depend depends on how we receive her. And as a Christian, I believe I'm commanded to offer her love and compassion.”
This is a contrast to how CBS and the other networks last week covered the Guyger case. On October 3, CBS skipped the explicit appeal to faith from Brandt Jean, the brother of the murder victim.
A transcript of the segment is below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
10/08/19
7:48VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: For the first time, we're hearing from a judge defend her controversial courtroom gesture toward a former Dallas police officer convicted of murder. This is the moment judge Tammy Kemp walked over and hugged Amber guyger shortly after she was sentenced to ten years in prison for killing her unarmed neighbor. Kemp sayz Guyger asked twice for a hug and she could not refuse. Yesterday, while speaking with our CBS Dallas Fort Worth station KTVT, the former prosecutor said faith guided her actions.
JUDGE TAMMY KEMP: She will forever be the murderer of Botham Jean. How she carries that thus forward depend depends on how we receive her. And as a Christian, I believe I'm commanded to offer her love and compassion.
DUTHIERS: Kemp also gave one of her own Bibles to Guyger after learning she did not have one of her own.
GAYLE KING: I don't know. She's getting slammed for being human. I actually don't understand the controversy. She hugged Amber Guyger after the trial was over, not during the trial, not before the trial. And I think she said it best. She asked for the hug. She said she didn't have a Bible. She was just trying to show compassion. I don’t know why that's a wrong thing. I know the case is very controversial. I get that.
MASON: I think it’s because it’s such an unusual gesture from a judge and surprised people. I think that's a big part of it.
TONY DOKOUPIL: I find it very moving. A judge having compassion for the criminal and also compassion for the victim.
KING: That’s right. She also went to the victim’s family.
DUTHIERS: She did. She says that Amber has a very long life to live and she hopes she finds the way. And so, this was something that she thought she could do. There is a religious group Freedom From Religion Foundation group. It’s a secular group that challenges religious displays in government. They’re saying —
KING: No one is giving Amber Guyger a pass on this. No one's giving her a pass. I think we have to remember that too.
DUTHIERS: Indeed.
