Ex-Dallas officer weeps while testifying about her actions leading up to fatal shooting of unarmed neighbor

DALLAS (KTLA) -- Amber Guyger, the ex-Dallas police officer charged with killing a 26-year-old man in his own apartment while she was off duty, wept in court Friday morning as she testified in her own defense.

Guyger, who's charged with murder in the death of Botham Jean, had been asked by one of her lawyers to describe the way she approached the door to what she thought last September was her apartment.

In a light blue dress and a dark cardigan, Guyger's lips began to quiver as she broke down in tears while stepping down from the witness stand to demonstrate how she carried her police equipment in one hand and tried to open the door with the other.

The judge immediately called a recess, and the jury left the courtroom. If convicted, Guyger faces up to life in prison.

Guyger had earlier testified about her childhood growing up in Arlington, her affair with her married police partner and her training as a police officer. She also recounted wanting to become an officer at age 6.

“I wanted to help people, and that was the one career that I could help people,” she said.

The prosecution, which rested on Thursday, was expected to grill Guyger, possibly also questioning her about her actions after she shot Jean.

Jean was on the couch in his shorts, watching TV and eating vanilla ice cream, when Guyger walked in and fired, Jason Hermus, a Dallas County prosecutor, told jurors this week.

Guyger has told police she mistakenly walked into the wrong apartment and thought she saw a burglar. Guyger lived in Apartment 1378, one floor below Jean's unit.

Dallas Police fired Guyger shortly after the shooting.

Guyger should have known she was in the wrong unit, prosecutors sayGuyger missed several signs indicating she was on the wrong floor and at the wrong apartment, prosecutors argued.

Several witnesses were questioned on the differences between Guyger's and Jean's apartments in an effort to demonstrate the former officer should have realized she was in the wrong unit before she opened fire.

For example, Dallas police Det. Stephen Cleary pointed out that Guyger's apartment had a wooden board displaying photos hanging on the wall, a bookshelf in the corner and a small half-circle table with a vase of flowers against the wall.

The wall behind Guyger's couch was bare, the photos showed.