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The family of Breonna Taylor, an unarmed black woman shot and killed during a US police drug bust, will receive $ 12 million (£ 9.3 million) from the Kentucky city of Louisville.
As part of the financial settlement on a civil lawsuit filed by her mother Tamika Palmer, there will also be police reforms, including the way officers handle warrants.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced the deal at a press conference, saying, “I can’t begin to imagine Ms. Palmer’s grief, and I deeply, deeply regret Breonna’s death.”
Ms. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was assassinated in march when police broke into her apartment at night using a “do not hit” arrest warrant that did not require posting.
The police generally use them in drug cases for fear that the evidence may be destroyed if they announce their arrival.
Ms. Taylor was awakened from her bed before being shot multiple times.
Police found no drugs in his home and the murder sparked months of protests in the city.
There were also calls across the country, including from television host Oprah Winfrey and basketball star LeBron James, for the officers involved to be charged.
At the press conference, an emotional Ms. Palmer lobbied for charges to be brought against the officers.
She said: “We must not lose focus on what the real job is, and with that said, it is time to move forward with the criminal charges, because she deserves that and much more.”
Some of the protests occurred at the same time. like other Black Lives Matter rallies about the murder of the police of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
Palmer filed a lawsuit in April against three Louisville officers, accusing them of wrongfully causing his daughter’s death.
The lawsuit alleges that police used faulty information when they obtained a “do not touch” order to enter the apartment, used excessive force, and the search was grossly negligent.
Officer Brett Hankison, who fired 10 blind rounds at the apartment, was fired in June.
Officer Myles Cosgrove and Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly, who also opened fire, were placed on administrative leave, along with the detective who requested the warrant.
None of the officers involved in the case have been charged.
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Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was in the apartment with Ms. Taylor and fired a single shot that struck an officer in the leg.
Walker said he did not hear the police announce themselves and said he thought he was protecting himself from an intruder.
The warrant was one of five issued as part of an investigation into drug suspect Jamarcus Glover, who was an ex-boyfriend of Ms. Taylor.
Louisville has already taken some reform steps, including passing the ‘Breonna Law’ that prohibits the use of orders of protection.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is investigating the actions of police during the March 13 shooting. He is also being investigated by the FBI.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, after winning the Tuscan Grand Prix on Sunday, wore a black T-shirt that read “arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” on the front and “say her name” on the back over a photograph. from 26- age.
The six-time Formula One world champion has said he will not stop using his platform to campaign for racial justice.
A spokesman for the sport’s governing body, the FIA, said there would be no formal investigation into the British driver’s actions in Italy.