Who Is Breonna Taylor?
Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency room technician who unfortunately was fatally shot the morning of March 13, 2020. She and her boyfriend were sleeping when they heard a loud banging on their front door.
Police accounts
The police were investigating two men who they believed were selling drugs from a house near Taylor’s. Officers claim there were sightings of one of the men leaving Breonna’s home which led investigators to believe she was helping. However the man was her ex-boyfriend.
To gain access, a “no knock warrant” was issued to officers as a way to search the home before residents are able to hide any drugs. However, none of those items were found in the apartment.
After an intense argument between the couple and officers, her boyfriend Kenneth Walker fired a warning shot and wounded one of the officers. As a result, officers fired back and hit Breonna more than five times. The investigation was meant to be an narcotics raid but instead ended with Breonna’s death.
Police accounts disputed
Relatives and the lawyers of the couple say the officers never identified themselves before entering despite their claim that they did. Neighbors agreed with this statement. They also say Kenneth was licensed to carry a gun and fired as self defense since he thought there were intruders.
The incident report done by officers contained many errors. It said Taylor had no injuries although she was shot several times. In addition, the report claimed officers didn’t force their way into the apartment. However, it is confirmed there was a battering ran used to break the door.
What happened to the officers who killed Breonna?
Prosecutors say the three officers Joshua Jaynes, Kelly Goodlett, and Kyle Meany used false information to gain a warrant to the apartment. They claimed that Breonna’s ex boyfriend would retrieve packages from her place but there was no evidence to support this statement. Mr. Meany, leading a department investigative unit, approved the warrant despite knowing of the misinformation.
The justice departments accused the three officers of violating Breonna’s right to be free of unreasonable searches. Soon after, city officials banned the use of no knock warrants. Cosgrove and Hankison were fired by the police department and Mattingly retired. Hankison was charged with endangerment because he missed every shot but his bullets flew into a apartment nearby.
Kelly Goodlett, a former Louisville officer admitted she helped fabricate part of the Taylor warrant that linked Taylor to alleged drug activity. Goodlett later pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy.
This case led to the investigation of the Louisville police. A 90-page report shows a detailed pattern of abuses. These include harassment of people during sweeps, discriminations against black people, excessive force, and more.
Trial Starts Again in 2023
The officer who fired into the apartment the night of her murder will be going on trial in federal court for violating Taylor’s civil rights. This is a second try by prosecutors to convict Brett Hankinson for his actions. With two counts of civil rights violation against him he could be facing maximum penalty of life in prison if he is convicted.
Hanksion is also facing a sexual-assault lawsuit from a woman who claims he used his position as authority to force himself on her. This happened while she was unconscious and is only one of at least ten similar allegations against him.
By Jamarion Thomas
Sources
AP news: Ex-cop who fired into Breonna Taylor’s apartment in flawed, fatal raid goes on trial again
NY Times: What to Know About Breonna Taylor’s Death
CNN: Breonna Taylor killing: A timeline of the police raid and its aftermath
Featured image courtesy of Terence FairCloth’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
first insert image courtesy of Don Sniegowski’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Second insert image courtesy of Anna harris’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
