1 officer charged in the Breonna Taylor case; not for his death

A Kentucky grand jury did not press charges against Louisville police for the murder of Breonna Taylor during a drug bust gone wrong, and prosecutors said Wednesday that two officers who fired their guns at the black woman were justified in using force. to protect yourself.

Instead, the grand jury charged fired officer Brett Hankison with three counts of senseless endangerment by shooting at the homes of Taylor’s neighbors during the March 13 night raid. The FBI is still investigating possible violations of federal law in the case.

Along with the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, Taylor’s case became a major touchstone for the national protests that have gripped the nation since May, drawing attention to entrenched racism and demanding police reform. Taylor’s image has been painted on the streets, stamped on protest posters, and screen-printed on T-shirts worn by celebrities.

The charges immediately caused sadness, frustration and anger that the grand jury did not go further. Each of the unjustified endangerment charges carries a sentence of up to five years. Protesters began marching through the streets of Louisville, where Taylor was killed, after the announcement, shouting “There is no justice, there is no peace.” Some sat in silence and wept.

Attorney Ben Crump, who represents Taylor’s family, called the grand jury’s decision “outrageous and offensive!”

“Justice has NOT been served,” tweeted Linda Sarsour of Until Freedom, a group that has lobbied for charges to be brought in the case.

Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by officers who entered her home with a warrant not to touch during a narcotics investigation.

The warrant used to search his home was related to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside. The Louisville Metropolitan Council has since prohibited the use of no-hit warrants.

The case exposed the wide gulf between public opinion about justice for those who kill Black Americans and the laws under which those officers are charged, which typically favor working police and do not often lead to pronounced criminal charges.

At a press conference, state attorney general Daniel Cameron spoke about that disconnect.

“Criminal law is not meant to address all pain and sorrow,” Cameron told reporters after the charges were announced.

“But my heart breaks for the loss of Miss Taylor. And I have said it repeatedly. My mother, if something happened to me, I would find it very difficult,” he added, brokenly.

But Cameron, who is the state’s first black attorney general, said officers acted in self-defense after Taylor’s boyfriend shot them.

He added that Hankison and the other two agents who entered Taylor’s apartment announced themselves before entering, so they did not execute the “do not call” order, according to the investigation.

“Under Kentucky law, the use of force by (Officers Jonathan) Mattingly and (Myles) Cosgrove was justified in protecting themselves,” he said. “This justification prohibits us from filing criminal charges for the death of Miss Breonna Taylor.”

Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire when police broke in and beat Mattingly. Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, but prosecutors later dropped the charge.

Walker told police he heard beatings but did not know who entered the home and fired in self-defense.

Regarding the disappointment of those who wanted criminal charges filed in Taylor’s death, he commented: “The decision before my office as special counsel in this case was not to decide whether the loss of Ms. Taylor’s life was a tragedy. The answer to that is unequivocally yes. “

Cameron, a Republican, is a protégé of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been labeled by some as his heir apparent. His was also one of 20 names on President Donald Trump’s list to fill a future vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Before the charges were filed, Hankison was fired from the city police department on June 23. A termination letter from Louisville Acting Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the white officer had violated procedures by showing “extreme disregard for the value of human life” when in March, he fired “senselessly and blindly. “10 rounds of shots at Taylor’s apartment.

Hankison had already been placed on administrative reassignment, as had Sgt. Johnathan Mattingly, Officer Myles Cosgrove and the detective who sought the warrant, Joshua Jaynes.

On September 15, the city settled a lawsuit against the three officers brought by Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, agreeing to pay her $ 12 million and enact police reforms.

Protesters in Louisville and across the country have demanded justice for Taylor and other black people killed by police in recent months. The release in late May of a 911 call from Taylor’s boyfriend marked the beginning of days of protests in Louisville, fueled by her shooting and the murder of Floyd while at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25.

Several prominent African American celebrities, including Oprah and Beyoncé, have joined in urging that the officers be charged.

– Associated Press