The demands for justice for Breonna Taylor have not been met. A Kentucky grand jury decided not to charge the Louisville officers involved in the killing of EMT Breonna Taylor and resulted in protests breaking out in the U.S.
What We Know:
- After the death of Breonna Taylor, her family wanted nothing more than for the officers responsible for the killing of Taylor to be charged. On Sept. 15, the city of Louisville, Kentucky, agreed to pay the family of Taylor $12 million and authorize police reforms. But disappointment struck on Wednesday when the Kentucky grand jury decided to not hold the officers responsible.
- The jury did decide on bringing three charges of wanton endangerment to Brett Hankison, the officer who fired 10 times in Taylor’s house and her neighbors’ homes and was fired from the Police Department on June 23.
- One of the Taylor family’s attorneys, Benjamin Crump, called the jury’s decision “outrageous and offensive” and civil rights leader Maurice Mitchell called Hankinson’s charge a “crumb” for the Black community that has faced injustice for so long.
- In response to the verdict, protests erupted in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Atalanta, and Chicago, where protesters chanted Taylor’s name and cried. In Louisville, two police officers were shot near the protest site and are in stable condition and the suspect is in custody. In an attempt to subdue the tension, a curfew of 9 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. was placed and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had 500 National Guard troops in the city. Authorities threw pepper balls and blocked off roadways and people ran while covering their ears to look for a place to hide. In Atlanta, the police threw tear gas at protesters.
In response to the protests, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris both tweeted that violence isn’t the answer and they both wish the officers who were shot a speedy recovery. Harris also tweeted, “Keep speaking Breonna Taylor’s name.” President Donald Trump also said he’s “praying for the two police officers that were shot tonight in Louisville, Kentucky”.
