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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 24 september 2020

1 officer indicted in Breonna Taylor case; not for her death

if the loss of Ms. Taylor’s life
was a tragedy. The answer to
that is unequivocally yes.”
A Republican, Cameron is
a protege of Senate Major-
ity Leader Mitch McConnell
who has been tagged by some
as his heir apparent. His was
also one of 20 names on Pres-
ident Donald Trump’s list to
fill a future Supreme Court
vacancy.
Before charges were brought,
Hankison was fired from the
city’s police department on
June 23. A termination letter
sent to him by interim Lou-
isville Police Chief Robert
Schroeder said the white of-
ficer had violated procedures
by showing “extreme indif-
ference to the value of hu-
man life” when he “wantonly
and blindly” shot 10 rounds
of gunfire into Taylor’s apart-
ment in March. Hankison
had already been placed on
administrative reassignment,
as were Sgt. Johnathan Mat-
tingly, Officer Myles Cos-
grove and the detective who
sought the warrant, Joshua
Jaynes.
(AP) — A Kentucky grand after the announcement, the loss of Miss Taylor. And selves," he said. "This justifi- On Sept. 15, the city settled
jury brought no charges shouting “No justice, no I’ve said that repeatedly. My cation bars us from pursuing a lawsuit against the three
against Louisville police for peace.” Some sat quietly and mother, if something was to criminal charges in Miss Bre- officers brought by Taylor’s
the killing of Breonna Tay- cried. Attorney Ben Crump, happen to me, would find it onna Taylor’s death.”Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer,
lor during a drug raid gone who is representing Taylor's very hard,” he added, chok- boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, agreeing to pay her $12 mil-
wrong, with prosecutors say- family, called the grand jury's ing up. opened fire when police lion and enact police reforms.
ing Wednesday two officers decision "outrageous and of- burst in, hitting Mattingly. Protesters in Louisville and
who fired their weapons at fensive!” But Cameron, who is the Walker was charged with at- across the country have de-
the Black woman were justi- “Justice has NOT been state's first Black attorney tempted murder of a police manded justice for Taylor
fied in using force to protect served,” tweeted Linda Sar- general, said that the offi- officer, but prosecutors later and other Black people killed
themselves. sour of Until Freedom, a cers acted in self-defense af- dropped the charge. by police in recent months.
group that has pushed for ter Taylor's boyfriend fired at The release in late May of a
The grand jury instead charges in the case. Taylor, them. He added that Hanki- Walker told police he heard 911 call by Taylor’s boyfriend
charged fired Officer Brett an emergency medical work- son and the two other officers knocking but didn’t know marked the beginning of days
Hankison with three counts er, was shot multiple times who entered Taylor’s apart- who was coming into the of protests in Louisville, fu-
of wanton endangerment for by officers who entered her ment announced themselves home and fired in self-de- eled by her shooting and the
firing into Taylor's neighbors' home on a no-knock warrant before entering — and so did fense. killing of Floyd while at the
homes during the raid on the during a narcotics investiga- not execute the warrant as Regarding the disappoint- hands of police in Minneapo-
night of March 13. The FBI tion. The warrant used to “no-knock,” according to the ment of those who wanted lis on May 25.
is still investigating potential search her home was con- investigation. “According to criminal charges brought in Several prominent African
violations of federal law in nected to a suspect who did Kentucky law, the use of force Taylor’s death, he remarked, American celebrities includ-
the case. not live there, and no drugs by (Officers Jonathan) Mat- “The decision before my of- ing Oprah and Beyoncé have
Along with the killing of were found inside. The use tingly and (Myles) Cosgrove fice as the special prosecutor joined those urging that the
George Floyd in Minnesota, of no-knock warrants has was justified to protect them- in this case was not to decide officers be charged.
Taylor’s case became a major since been banned by Louis-
touchstone for the nationwide ville’s Metro Council.
protests that have gripped the
nation since May — draw- The case exposed the wide
ing attention to entrenched gulf between public opin-
racism and demanding po- ion on justice for those who
lice reform. Taylor’s image kill Black Americans, and
has been painted on streets, the laws under which those
emblazoned on protest signs officers are charged, which
and silk-screened on T-shirts regularly favor working po-
worn by celebrities. lice and do not often result in
steep criminal accusations. At
The charges drew immediate a news conference, state At-
sadness, frustration and anger torney General Daniel Cam-
that the grand jury did not go eron spoke to that disconnect.
further. The wanton endan- “Criminal law is not meant to
germent charges each carry a respond to every sorrow and
sentence of up to five years. grief,” Cameron told report-
Protesters began marching ers after the charges were an-
through the streets of Louis- nounced.
ville, where Taylor was killed, “But my heart breaks for