Tammy Kemp for U.S. Supreme Court justice!

I've been on the planet for over seven decades and have witnessed a plethora of criminal and court proceedings. But never in my life had I witnessed what I saw this last week just a few hours north of our ranch in Texas. My wife, Gena, and I watched the news and, along with the rest of the country and even world, we were mesmerized and then moved to tears.

Unless you've been pinned up on a deserted island somewhere, you've undoubtedly heard of the tragic case of the 31-year-old off-duty Dallas police officer, Amber Guyger, who, on Sept. 6, 2018, at about 9:59 p.m., walked into her own apartment and killed an intruder inside. That's at least what she thought – but it wasn't her apartment.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Amber served on the Dallas police force for four years and was a part of an "elite critical response team of about 10 officers who make high-risk arrests in the division's crime hot spots." After a 12-hour overtime shift, Amber said she parked on the wrong (4th) floor of her apartment complex. Walking down the hallway that resembled her own (3rd) floor hallway, she opened the wrong apartment door, and shot and killed 26-year-old Botham Shem "Bo" Jean in his own apartment because she thought he was a burglar in hers. The apartment was dark, but Bo was simply watching television and enjoying some late-night ice cream. Neither neighbor knew each other.

Bo Jean

Amber testified at trial that the door was slightly ajar and opened up at the force of her merely inserting her unique door key with an electronic chip. She said she thought that Bo got up to attack her. But the prosecution rebutted that he was cowering or merely getting up from his couch. Maybe he was just preparing to defend himself and his own apartment, which I would even do and expect others to do. If anyone just barged into our homes that we didn't know, uniform or not – how could we know she was even a real cop when she just walked into our home? Wouldn't Bo have expected a knock? Whatever the case, it was a perfect storm for a tragedy.

Bo was an innocent law-abiding Texas businessman and Christian, who was highly loved by his family, friends and community. Bo was from a prominent Saint Lucian family of parliamentarians and government ministers. He studied accounting and mathematics at Harding University, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and St. Mary's College. In college, he was a campus leader and the president of a Young Leaders group. He led chapel in school, was active in his church and had a beautiful singing voice, even leading music and worship at his church – here he is in action.

Gena and I join the rest of the country in saying to the Jean family that we are so incredibly sorry for your loss, and we pray for the healing of your broken hearts. Bo was a shining star in the Lone Star state, and we need millions more just like him. And we assure you that his life and even ministry is not going to stop here. We believe it's just begun and will live on and replicate through his younger brother Brandt, whom I will introduce in a moment.

Amber testified in deep distress about what she said was a heinous and horrific accident. Stuttering and stammering, she trembled as she explained: "I was scared this person in this apartment was going to hurt me, and I'm so sorry. … I have to live with that every single day. No police officer would ever want to hurt an innocent person. … I hate myself every single day for what I did. I ask God for forgiveness. I don't deserve the chance to be with my family and friends. I wish he was the one with the gun who had killed me."

Amber Guyger testifying in court.

After her trial was all said and done, the jury handed down its verdict on Wednesday, pronouncing Amber "guilty of murder" (not the lesser manslaughter charge). The jury sentenced her to 10 years behind bars. (Amber could have faced between five and 99 years in prison on a murder conviction, and between two and 20 years in prison on a manslaughter conviction.)

Whatever your opinion of her case or sentencing, everyone can agree on this: What happened next will go down in history as one of the most astounding acts of grace and mercy in any court of law. Actually, there were two amazing acts of grace and mercy: one by a family member of Botham and the other by the judge who presided over the trial.

During the post-sentencing time when Bo's family members could address Amber and the court, Bo's 18-year-old brother, Brandt, humbly spoke what no one expected. He said he forgave Amber (as Bo would have done), repeatedly wished "the best" for her, and hoped that she would devote her life to Jesus Christ. Then Brandt proceeded to ask the judge if he could be allowed to give Amber a hug in the middle of the courtroom. You can watch that powerful and merciful moment here.

Brandt's act of grace and mercy, followed by Amber's and his long embrace in front of the judge's bench, brought most of the court – including the judge – to tears. His act of forgiveness did away with the myth of a do-nothing slacker younger generation. Brandt reset the bar and example for all of us, especially within a divided and disgruntled America.

Judge Tammy Kemp, who previously worked as both a prosecutor and defense attorney and has been on the bench since 2014, made the next remarkable and merciful move: She stepped off her seat and came down and personally admonished Amber for roughly five long minutes to live a better life worthy of her calling and stand before the Creator. Judge Kemp retrieved and gave Amber her personal Bible, reading her Scripture from it and telling her she'll need the Good Book in the near future. The judge ended by hugging Amber equal in length and sincerity to brother Brandt's. (The moving response by the media and other court witnesses of what transpired between Amber, Kemp and Brandt can be heard in their commentary on this YouTube recording.)

Judge Tammy Kemp embraces Amber Guyger.

Amber's defense attorneys gave more context to the moment in a Thursday interview, reported by Fox 7 Austin:

"The judge said you got to forgive yourself first and then they talked," defense attorney Toby Shook said. "Amber said 'I don't have my Bible.' And she said, 'I'll be right back.'"

That's when Judge Kemp left the court, went to her chambers and returned with her personal Bible to give to Guyger.

"This is your job for the next month," Kemp told Guyger. "You read right here: John 3:16." Cameras barely capture audio of the judge reading, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." She then guided Guyger through accepting Christ into her life. It was said in court that that is what Botham Jean would have wanted.

Even liberal media outlets like MSN News had to report the court scene as it was:

After stepping off the bench to comfort the Jean family, the judge walked over to Guyger, still at the defense table. She bent low and spoke in the young woman's ear. "You understand?" the judge said, barely audible.

The judge appeared to be overcome in the moment, and left the courtroom. She returned a moment later, a small Bible in her hand.

"You can have mine," the judge said to Guyger. "I have three or four at home."

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She then began to counsel Guyger. The pair were talking low, barely audible, just the two of them. "This is your job," the judge said, opening the book.

The judge mentioned John 3:16, saying this will strengthen her. Guyger nodded her head.

"You just need a tiny mustard seed of faith," the judge said. "You start with this."

Guyger embraced the judge, who hugged her back. Guyger whispered something.

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"Ma'am," the judge said warmly. "It's not because I'm good. It's because I believe in Christ."

"You haven't done so much that you can't be forgiven," the judge told her. "You did something bad in one moment in time. What you do now matters."

The judge told Guyger that she could take the Bible with her as deputies prepared to escort her to the prisoner holding cell connected to the courtroom.

As Guyger left to begin her 10-year prison sentence, the judge let out a deep sigh, turned and left the courtroom.

While the world was rejoicing over and learning from these incredible Dallas courtroom actions of grace, mercy and hope, the begrudging atheist group Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a complaint on Thursday to the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct, saying Judge Kemp "overstepped" her role by giving Amber a Bible and that her "compassion crossed the line into coercion."

I guarantee you if anyone were to ask Amber if she felt coerced in the courtroom by Judge Kemp or Brandt Jean, she would utterly and flatly deny such a thought as preposterous. She clearly felt love, grace and mercy from them, not coercion and certainly not condemnation.

Our friend and former Gov. Mike Huckabee said Friday afternoon on Fox's "The Story with Martha MacCullum," when asked what he thought about the Freedom from Religion's complaint: "That group needs to get a grip and a life because they don't have either one. … I was grateful that the judge decided there was a role for both justice and mercy in the same courtroom, and that is what she exhibited. … We need more of that. We need to see God's grace in action. Thank God for her!"

Defense attorney Robert Rogers elaborated on Judge Kemp's redemptive actions: "Per the judge's orders, we went and the judge gave us [also] a study Bible to take to Amber. I think it's part of the judge's power and using her power – as far as the rehabilitation – and she wants Amber to have hope."

As far as the judge's religious freedom to give Amber her Bible, remember that U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Jay (1745-1829), a member of the Continental Congress (1774-76, 1778-79), President of Congress (1778-79), contributing author of the New York State Constitution (1777), negotiator and signatory of the Treaty of Paris (1783), second governor of New York (1795-1801) and the first chief justice of the United States (1789-1795), appointed by George Washington himself, said, "Providence has given our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." (Jay also served as both vice president of the American Bible Society [1816-21] as well as its president [1821- 27].)

With John Jay's wise advice, Gena and I would like to passionately suggest to President Trump that he consider as his next appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court Texas Judge Tammy Kemp! Doesn't her life and work reflect the balance of justice, mercy and hope we need more today across America?

The Freedom from Religion Foundation needs a re-education about what the First Amendment really means, and how our founders intended it to protect us – something I wrote about at length in my New York Times best-seller, "Black Belt Patriotism." Here's another column I wrote specifically explaining it: "Should the First Amendment be abolished?"

Suffice it to say here, the First Amendment was not meant to stifle our religious freedom, speech and liberties but to secure them in both private and public arenas. Judge Kemp's words and actions are protected by the very constitutional amendment the Freedom from Religion group erroneously proposes that prohibits them. The First Amendment protects not prohibits all of our religious belief and expression, regardless of how others feel about them.

I can assure you that Judge Kemp isn't intimated by the Freedom from Religion folks or anyone else. She's got something even much more than Texas grit, which she has in abundance. She's got grace – God's grace, and no one can't take that from her.

As the judge's website explains: "Since taking the bench in 2014, Judge Kemp has successfully streamlined the court's docket process, resulting in cost savings to taxpayers and the 204th consistently ranking among the top criminal district courts in the county. Kemp's genuine commitment to serve the citizens of Dallas County has earned her a reputation of being accountable to the public, compassionate towards victims and fair to the accused."

Our pastor was sharing with us this weekend that Judge Kemp and brother Brandt's actions in the courtroom toward Amber are supreme examples of what God did for us in Jesus Christ, who stepped off his royal throne and judgment seat in Heaven to come down to earth to love us by giving His life ("His Bible") upon the Cross and then admonishing us how to live a better life.

Jesus, Judge Kemp and brother Brandt are stellar examples, showing us a better way to live and love. That's why their actions have captivated our nation and world. That type of love is mentioned not only in John 3:16, as the judge cited to Amber, but in 1 John 3:16, which says: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for others" – including those who have harmed and sinned against us.

Can you imagine our country and world if there were just a little more Judge Kemp and brother Brandt in all of us? Now, that's how we can truly make America great again!