Police officers not charged for killing Breonna Taylor

People gather in Jefferson Square to await news of the charges against police officers, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky. A grand jury indicted an officer on criminal charges six months after police fatally shot Breonna Taylor in Kentucky. The jury presented its decision against fired officer Brett Hankison on Wednesday to a judge in Louisville, where the shooting took place. (AP Photo / Darron Cummings)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Kentucky grand jury did not press charges against Louisville police for the murder of Breonna Taylor during a drug bust that went awry, and prosecutors said Wednesday that two officers who fired their guns at the black woman were justified in using the strength to protect themselves.

The only charges brought by the grand jury were three counts of unjustified danger against fired officer Brett Hankison for shooting at the homes of Taylor’s neighbors during the raid on the night of March 13. The FBI is still investigating possible violations of federal law in the case.

Ben Crump, a lawyer for Taylor’s family, denounced the decision as “outrageous and offensive” and protesters shouted: “Without justice, there is no peace!” He began marching through the streets. Some sat in silence and wept. Later, fights broke out between the police and the protesters, and some were arrested.

Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by officers entering her home with a warrant not to touch during a narcotics investigation, though state attorney general Daniel Cameron said Wednesday the investigation showed that the Agents did advertise.

The warrant used to search his home was related to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside.

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 announcement of 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.

“Justice has NOT been served,” tweeted Linda Sarsour of Until Freedom, a group that has lobbied for charges to be brought in the case.
Morgan Julianna Lee, a high school student in Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the ad at her home.

“It’s almost like a slap in the face,” the 15-year-old said by phone. “If I, as a black woman, ever need justice, I will never get it.”
Immediately after the decision, protesters began to gather in Louisville, some preparing food and others carrying boxes of water to Injustice Square, the park where people have demanded justice for Taylor.

Although the demonstrations were largely peaceful, police officers in protective gear and batons mobilized in the center, and some skirmishes broke out, and officers could be seen handcuffing some people. Police also ordered a group that broke away from the protests to disperse, warning that chemical agents could be used if they did not.

Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, said he authorized a limited deployment of the National Guard. An Associated Press reporter saw members of the guard and armored military vehicles in downtown Louisville.

Beshear also urged Cameron, the state attorney general, to post all the evidence that could be released online without affecting the charges filed.

“Those who are currently frustrated, hurt, deserve to know more,” he said.

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, Cameron spoke about that disconnect.

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

But my heart breaks over the loss of Miss Taylor. And I’ve said it repeatedly. My mother, if something were to happen to me, I would find it very difficult, “he added, choking.

But Cameron, who is the state’s first black attorney general, said officers acted in self-defense after Taylor’s boyfriend shot them. It added that Hankison and the other two officers who entered Taylor’s apartment did not execute the “do not call” order, according to the investigation. The Louisville Metropolitan Council has since prohibited the use of no-hit warrants.

“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.”

Cameron said an FBI crime lab determined that Cosgrove fired the bullet that killed 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.

Cameron, who is 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.

When asked about the decision, Trump said he hadn’t had time to consider it and would comment when he does. He added: “My message is that I love the black community and have done more for the black community than any other president, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln.”

Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, told reporters that she had also not fully read the decision.
“But there is no question that Breonna Taylor and her family deserved justice yesterday, today and tomorrow, so I will review it,” he said.

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 he fired his gun “senselessly and blindly.” .

Hankison had previously been assigned to an administrative reassignment, as had Mattingly, 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. Several prominent African American celebrities, including Oprah and Beyoncé, have joined in urging that the officers be charged.

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