Breonna Taylor verdict: protests and reactions
Breonna Taylor verdict protests and reaction: live
HEADLINES:
- Grand jury charges one police officer over house raid that resulted in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor
- Brett Hankison, immediately fired after the killing, has been charged with three counts of 'wanton endangerment' over the shots that were fired into a neighbouring apartment
- A series of demonstrations have begun in Louisville, Kentucky, and planned for around the country
Warning to demonstrators
Natasha Chandel has urged anyone protesting tonight not to do anything more than make their voice heard.
Trouble expected as night approaches
The demonstrations seen thus far have been relatively peaceful but, as we've seen over the recent months, there is a serious risk that they could escalate.
And this may not help...
'Breonna didn't deserve this'
A reminder, if it was needed, from The Atlantic's Clint Smith about the person that was lost six months ago, and those she left behind.
A thread:
Images of early Louisville clashes
Bloomberg have captured some of the footage we have been monitoring.
Trump lacking enough knowledge
The case has been ongoing for six months.
It was widely reported across all media outlets (including Fox).
It resulted in a major city being declared a state of emergency.
It is expected to cause mass protests across the US.
Despite all this, the President of the United States does not know enough about it to give a response.
Police and protesters clash in Louisville
We have seen video footage of lines of police in the city stopping demonstrators from passing through the streets, and this has led to some tension.
Pushing, shoving and some arrests being caught on camera. One protestor was seen with what appeared to be a serious head injury, with blood dripping from it. He was carried away by police as people shouted, "he has concussion!"
Early post-verdict demonstrations grow in Louisville. There's a lot of anger out there.
NYC demonstrations planned
It is being reported that there will be protests in New York starting at 19:00 (local time). Portland, Atlanta, LA... it's likely to be a country-wide voice.
Members of the National Guard guard the section of a downtown.
"The system worked," says officer's attorney
Kent J. Wicker, the attorney for Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly who does not face any charges, has said that his client not being indicted shows that 'the system worked',
"The death of Breonna Taylor is a tragedy.
"But these officers did not act in a reckless or unprofessional manner. They did their duty, performed their roles as law enforcement officers and, above all, did not break the law."
Protests expected
Calls are being made across the country to protest. Remember that a curfew has been set in Louisville from 21:00 local time.
'We must reject the idea that her life was expendable'
There was a similar response from the African American Policy Forum who also stated:
'Black people being killed in their own home is a feature, not a bug, of our system of policing. We should never forget that modern policing has its roots in slave patrols. Policing was intended from the start to enforced a racist social order.'
ACLU slams decision
This was the statement issued by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky following the verdict.
'The latest miscarriage of justice in our nation’s long history of denying that Black lives matter'
AG updates: "review of search warrant process"
"I believe having a top-to-bottom review of the search warrant process is necessary to determine if changes are required and establish the best practices."
(Cameron explained that he was building "a task force to review the process for securing and executing search warrants in Kentucky," to include members of the public, law enforcement, elected officials, defence attorneys and judiciary representatives)
AG updates: "grand jury given all the evidence"
"This is a tragedy. And sometimes, the criminal law is not adequate to respond to a tragedy. And I fully acknowledge that and I know many that are watching today and those listening recognize that as well.
"But the response is that the grand jury was given all of the evidence, presented all the information, and ultimately, made the determination that Detective Hankison was the one to be indicted."
AG updates: "up to five years for each count"
[If convicted, Hankison] "can serve up to five years for each count."
"My office is prepared to prove these charges at trial. However, it's important to note he is presumed innocent until proven guilty."
AG updates: "put emotions aside"
"In this case, a human life was lost. We can not forget that.
"My job as the special prosecutor in this case was to put emotions aside and investigate the facts to determine if criminal violations of state law resulted in the loss of Ms. Taylor's life."
AG updates: "justified in use of force"
"Our investigation found that Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in their use of force after having been fired upon by Kenneth Walker."
AG updates: "breaks my heart"
In the news conference after the grand jury announcement, Kentucky’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron, said:
“The decision before my office is not to decide if the loss of Breonna Taylor’s life was a tragedy - the answer to that question is unequivocally yes,” he said.
"The fact that she was hit breaks my heart and breaks that of the country."
Emotional reactions in the streets of Louisville after the verdict was announced.
'Six bullets, one fatal' - AG
The Kentucky Attorney General has been providing more context to the decision:
- Breonna Taylor was hit by six bullets but only one was a fatal shot.
- She would have died within minutes because of it.
- The KSP was unable to determine who was responsible for firing that fatal shot. The FBI concluded it was from Detective Myles Cosgrove.
The charge baffles most
As Amber Jamieson points out for us once again: 'No police officer has been charged directly over Breonna Taylor's death.'
We are keeping a close eye on developments in Louiseville - where a crowd of demonstrators have begun marching - and elsewhere, as the news is absorbed.
Attorney for Breonna Taylor reacts
The reaction from Ben Crump, the attorney for the victim's family, was one of disappointment and frustration.
As he states, there was no charge for the 'murder' of Breonna.
“I cannot tolerate this type of conduct by any member of the Louisville Metro Police Department. Your conduct demands your termination.”
What about the other two officers?
The two other officers, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, who were at the scene of the shooting have not been charged.
Immediate confusion over charge
There has been a lot of murmuring since the decision was announced just a few minutes ago about the specific nature of the charge.
As Tom Harrington points out, the question that the AG needs to clarify is over the random neighbour shots and those that killed Breonna.
'Wanton endangerment'
The reaction to the decision begins now and ABC reported Reena Roy is quick to point to the legalities behind the charge.
BREAKING: Verdict being announced
Detective Brett Hankison has been charged with three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree.
The judge, Annie O'Connell, has issued a 15K bond and an arrest warrant.
That is all of the charges that will be announced today.
Building closures in Louisville
For anyone in the city today, the following have been closed.
Metro Hall and its Annex, City Hall and its Annex, Fiscal Court, The Sinking Fund, Louisville Metro Police Department headquarters, Metro Development and Metro Safe on South Fifth Street, Youth Detention Services, The Alexander Building on West Main, The Downtown Wellness Center on First Street
Protesters gather in front of the Breonna Taylor memorial in Jefferson Square Park in Louisville, Kentucky.
This park has remained the epicenter for Louisville protest action
"In the community, we have all heard the rumours. We all know something is coming. We don't know what it is."
The verdict announcement
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is set to unveil the results on Wednesday of a grand jury probe into the deadly police shooting in March of Breonna Taylor, it was reported. We are expecting this to be at around 13:30 local time (10:30 PT, 19:30 CEST)
The city has been bracing for a possible announcement since Tuesday, with barricades blocking much of its downtown to vehicular traffic.
Taylor's death, alongside that of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, helped spark a nationwide wave of protests demanding racial justice and an end to the use of excessive force by law enforcement.
The night of the shooting
On March 13, 2020 LMPD officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove entered Breonna Taylor’s home in plainclothes under a ‘no-knock’ entry warrant linked to an investigation into Taylor’s ex-boyfriend.
Taylor was at home with boyfriend Kenneth Walker, who, believing the police were intruders and claiming that they did not announce themselves as required by law, shot and injured a police officer in the leg. During the forced entry 26-year-old Taylor, who worked as an emergency room technician, was shot 5 times, according to the death certificate.
No money or drugs were subsequently found in the apartment.
Breonna Taylor decision: Why has Louisville declared a state of emergency?
Louisville declared a state of emergency
The Mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, issued two executive orders on Tuesday; one allowing the city to acquire “additional resources” ranging from personnel to supplies and the other closing certain downtown parking garages and limiting street parking.
“Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for potential protesters to gather and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement… we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe.” Fischer said.
Full story here:
Breonna Taylor: verdict and reaction
Hello and welcome to our coverage of the verdict announcement over whether charges will be brought against the police officer involved in the tragic shooting of Breonna Taylor.
As we lead up to the decision, I'll give you the background to the case, as well as some of the aspects related to it. We will then stay across reactions as they happen.