Breonna Taylor, a 26 year-old black, ‘essential’ EMT worker, working for 2 local Kentucky hospitals amid this Coronavirus pandemic, was shot & killed in her own apartment during the early morning hours of March 13, 2020, by 3 LMPD (Louisville Metro Police Department) plainclothes officers, who arrived in unmarked vehicles to execute a ‘no-knock’ search warrant, meaning they did not have to identify themselves as police. Breonna and her 27 year-old boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep when they heard someone breaking into their home. They called 911, and Walker, a licensed gunowner, got his gun and shot one ‘intruder’ in the leg, which spurred the officers to spray the apartment with 20 rounds, hitting Breonna 8 times. Some rounds made their way into the next apartment where a 5 year-old and her pregnant mother were luckily spared being killed in their sleep. The officers supposedly had a search warrant for Breonna’s address due to an investigation into a ‘drug house’ 10 miles away, for a Jamarcus Glover, who had already been taken into custody the previous day; the warrant didn’t include Taylor or Walker, neither of which had any criminal or drug history. Taylor had dated Glover a couple years previous to this incident, and there was some allegation in the police report that Glover had intercepted a ‘suspicious’ package delivered by USPS, to Breonna’s address. (USPS refuted that implication.) The police report stated that a vehicle registered to Breonna Taylor had been seen in front of the “trap house” for which they had a search warrant.
A petition calling for charges against the 3 officers involved garnered more than 80,000 signatures. Senator Kamala Harris has called for DOJ to investigate Breonna’s death. Governor Andy Beshear called for a careful review of the investigation, as had Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, advising the final report be handed over to the commonwealth attorney for further determination of legal recourse. Others are calling for a complete “truth of facts & circumstances” surrounding this “a very corrupt police department”. Civil Rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, is part of the legal team representing family members who filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence. Crump is also attorney for the family of Ahmaud Arbery, murdered 2/23/20 for ‘jogging while black’ in Georgia. Kenneth Walker was arrested and charged with “Assault & Attempted Murder on a police officer”, for trying to protect himself & Breonna in their home. The Second Amendment should apply equally to all races & ethnicities. We need serious criminal justice reform in 21st century America!
Trish Forsyth Voss
May 23 2020
We need real criminal justice reform in 21st century America!
Breonna Taylor, a 26 year-old black, ‘essential’ EMT worker, working for 2 local Kentucky hospitals amid this Coronavirus pandemic, was shot & killed in her own apartment during the early morning hours of March 13, 2020, by 3 LMPD (Louisville Metro Police Department) plainclothes officers, who arrived in unmarked vehicles to execute a ‘no-knock’ search warrant, meaning they did not have to identify themselves as police. Breonna and her 27 year-old boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep when they heard someone breaking into their home. They called 911, and Walker, a licensed gunowner, got his gun and shot one ‘intruder’ in the leg, which spurred the officers to spray the apartment with 20 rounds, hitting Breonna 8 times. Some rounds made their way into the next apartment where a 5 year-old and her pregnant mother were luckily spared being killed in their sleep. The officers supposedly had a search warrant for Breonna’s address due to an investigation into a ‘drug house’ 10 miles away, for a Jamarcus Glover, who had already been taken into custody the previous day; the warrant didn’t include Taylor or Walker, neither of which had any criminal or drug history. Taylor had dated Glover a couple years previous to this incident, and there was some allegation in the police report that Glover had intercepted a ‘suspicious’ package delivered by USPS, to Breonna’s address. (USPS refuted that implication.) The police report stated that a vehicle registered to Breonna Taylor had been seen in front of the “trap house” for which they had a search warrant.
A petition calling for charges against the 3 officers involved garnered more than 80,000 signatures. Senator Kamala Harris has called for DOJ to investigate Breonna’s death. Governor Andy Beshear called for a careful review of the investigation, as had Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, advising the final report be handed over to the commonwealth attorney for further determination of legal recourse. Others are calling for a complete “truth of facts & circumstances” surrounding this “a very corrupt police department”. Civil Rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, is part of the legal team representing family members who filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence. Crump is also attorney for the family of Ahmaud Arbery, murdered 2/23/20 for ‘jogging while black’ in Georgia. Kenneth Walker was arrested and charged with “Assault & Attempted Murder on a police officer”, for trying to protect himself & Breonna in their home. The Second Amendment should apply equally to all races & ethnicities. We need serious criminal justice reform in 21st century America!
Trish Forsyth Voss
By spiritspeak • Letter to the Editor 0