Breonna Taylor’s family ‘agrees to a financial settlement’ for her death



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Media title“Questions Still Unanswered”: Breonna Taylor’s Family Concerned About a “Cover Up”

The family of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, has agreed to a multi-million dollar settlement with the city, US media reported.

Taylor, 26, was shot eight times when officers entered his home on March 13 during a drug investigation.

His name has figured prominently in anti-racism protests around the world in recent months.

The deal will reportedly be announced later on Tuesday.

It includes a “substantial” payment and will also require a series of police reforms in the city, reports local newspaper Courier Journal.

These are believed to include a requirement that all search warrants be approved by a superior officer, the newspaper says.

The settlement is reportedly one of the largest financial sums ever paid in a police misconduct case.

Taylor’s murder came into focus once again with the death of unarmed African-American George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May.

Floyd’s death sparked global protests against racism and brought a renewed focus on police brutality.

What happened to Breonna Taylor?

Shortly after midnight on March 13, three officers entered Ms. Taylor’s apartment executing a search warrant without hitting, a court document authorizing police to enter a home without warning.

Ms. Taylor and her partner, Kenneth Walker, were asleep when the commotion began.

Officers exchanged shots with Walker, a licensed gun owner who called 911 believing the drug bust was a robbery. The officers, who fired more than 25 rounds, said they returned fire after one officer was shot.

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Ms Taylor, 26, was a decorated emergency medical technician

During the exchange, Ms. Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was shot eight times and later died.

No drugs were found on the property.

The lawsuit filed by Ms. Taylor’s family charges the officers with assault, wrongful death, excessive force, and gross negligence. She also says officers were not looking for her or her partner, but for an unrelated suspect who did not live at the compound.

One of the officers involved in the raid, Brett Hankison, was fired in June. The other two, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, were placed on administrative leave.

A grand jury could soon decide whether criminal charges should be brought against any of the officers, local media report.

Earlier this year, the Louisville city council voted unanimously to ban the arrest warrants. Similar legislation was introduced in the United States Congress that would ban court orders across the country.

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