Breonna TaylorBreonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot eight times on March 13, 2020, during a narcotics raid on her home (which was the wrong address) (Oppel). Officer Brett Hankison, who was involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor was fired on June 23, 2020 (Wright). In late September, a grand jury indicted a Hankison on charges of reckless endangerment, but the two officers who shot Breonna Taylor six times faced no charges. The charges against Hankison were for firing into a neighbor's apartment, while the jury ruled that the officers who shot Ms. Taylor were justified because they identified themselves and had come under fire from her boyfriend. However, reports from neighbors dispute the claim that the police identified themselves before entering. Hankison is the only officer to be dismissed from the force. This has sparked a wave of protests in Louisville, Portland, and Seattle (Callimachi, Rukmini, et al.).
In late October, a Kentucky judge granted grand jurors in the case permission to speak publicly, which led one juror to argue that prosecutors had not given the panel the opportunity to bring homicide charges in the case. Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, an officer who shot Ms. Taylor, told ABC News that what happened to Ms. Taylor “is not relatable to a George Floyd. This is nothing like it. It’s not an Ahmaud Arbery. It’s nothing like it.” He also stated that “It’s not a race thing” (Wright). Learn More:
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A memorial to Ms. Taylor in Louisville.
Credit: Xavier Burrell for The New York Times Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who was shot in the leg while carrying out a search warrant at Taylor's apartment, spoke for the first time exclusively to ABC News and The Courier Journal in Louisville (ABC News).
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2021 and 2022 Updates
In March 2022, Brett Hankison, the only officer involved in the raid who faced charges related to the raid, was found not guilty of wanton endangerment. His case focused on the danger he presented to Breonna Taylor's neighbors and not Breonna Taylor herself (Baker).
In August 2022, four current and former Louisville, Kentucky, police officers were federally charged for Breonna Taylor's death. Three of the officers had lied to get the warrant they used to search her home, violating federal civil rights laws. Other charges included civil rights violations, conspiracy, use of excessive force offenses and obstruction. Hankison, for example, is facing federal charges for depriving Taylor, her boyfriend and her neighbors of their civil rights when he fired his gun (Bowman).
Later in August 2022, former Louisville police detective Kelly Goodlett who assisted in writing the warrant that resulted in the raid at Breonna Taylor's apartment pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges. Goodlett had included a false line in the warrant and conspired with another officer in doing so (The Associated Press).
Learn more about the charges the officers are facing:
In August 2022, four current and former Louisville, Kentucky, police officers were federally charged for Breonna Taylor's death. Three of the officers had lied to get the warrant they used to search her home, violating federal civil rights laws. Other charges included civil rights violations, conspiracy, use of excessive force offenses and obstruction. Hankison, for example, is facing federal charges for depriving Taylor, her boyfriend and her neighbors of their civil rights when he fired his gun (Bowman).
Later in August 2022, former Louisville police detective Kelly Goodlett who assisted in writing the warrant that resulted in the raid at Breonna Taylor's apartment pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges. Goodlett had included a false line in the warrant and conspired with another officer in doing so (The Associated Press).
Learn more about the charges the officers are facing:
Kenneth Walker
On October 29, 2020, a court document revealed that Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who was shot by Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, has sued Mr. Walker for assault and battery. Counsel for Sgt. Mattingly argued that he should be entitled to compensation damages for the “medical treatment, trauma, physical pain and mental anguish” he experienced. Mr. Walker was initially charged with attempted murder, but the charges were dropped in May 2020, as Mr. Walker fired the shot because he believed the police to be an intruder, and state law permits the use of reasonable force to protect against intruders in one’s home (Gross).
In March 2021, the charges against Walker were dismissed permanently. The day before the one year anniversary of Breonna Taylor's death, Walker filed a federal lawsuit against Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and the officers who were involved in the raid, seeking damages for violations of his constitution rights. Walker's lawyers claim that the officers violated his Fourth Amendment rights when they did the raid (Sung et al.).
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In March 2021, the charges against Walker were dismissed permanently. The day before the one year anniversary of Breonna Taylor's death, Walker filed a federal lawsuit against Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and the officers who were involved in the raid, seeking damages for violations of his constitution rights. Walker's lawyers claim that the officers violated his Fourth Amendment rights when they did the raid (Sung et al.).
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