Our live coverage of the protests following the announcement in the Breonna Taylor case has moved here,
The Louisville Police Department says it is still tallying arrest numbers from unrest across the city last night following Wednesday’s indictment announcement. However, the department believes the arrest count will be close to 100, Sgt. Lamont Washington said in a Thursday morning press release.
Police said protesters moved road barricades and began letting traffic into restricted areas, jumped on police cars and set garbage cans on fire. Two officers were injured by gunfire when protestors marched in the area of Brook and College, according to the release.
In addition to arrests and unlawful assembly violations, police say businesses were looted including two City Gear stores and a pawn shop. Police expect to release additional information on looting locations today, the release added.
Protests took place across the US after Wednesday’s indictment in the Breonna Taylor case. Here’s what you need to know:
The indictment: Only one of the three officers involved in Taylor’s death was indicted on first-degree wanton endangerment charges.
The other two officers who also fired shots during the botched March raid were not indicted, meaning no officer was charged with killing Taylor.
The public reaction: Demonstrators and activists immediately criticized the charges against the former detective, Brett Hankison.
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents Taylor’s family, called the indictment “outrageous and offensive.” The NAACP also said the justice system “failed” Taylor and the charges against one officer do “not go far enough.”
Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, was surrounded by her youngest daughter, sister, and attorneys when she learned that only one officer would be indicted for wanton endangerment.
There was “a lot of sadness and weeping,” said Christopher 2X, a community activist who is assisting Palmer and who stood outside the room when Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the decision.
Athletes including LeBron James, Danny Green, Megan Rapinoe and Kayla McBride expressed their disappointment with the grand jury’s decision.
Jarrett Hill, a politics and pop culture journalist, told CNN that the indictment only confirmed that “the system is not working for us.”
“I think the message to the people across this country is we don’t care about you, especially if you are Black, and even more if you are women,” he said.
The protests: Protesters marched today in several US cities including New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Louisville, Nashville, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
In some cities, the protests have escalated into clashes with law enforcement; two officers were shot in Louisville, and police fired tear gas at protesters in Atlanta.
Portland Police declared a riot after protestors threw molotov cocktails, rocks, broke windows and lit fires, according to a press release from the police department.
Political reaction: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted that violence should not be the answer “even amidst the profound grief & anger today’s decision.”
His running mate Kamala Harris called for reforms to the justice system in a tweet. “We must never stop speaking Breonna’s name as we work to reform our justice system, including overhauling no-knock warrants,” she wrote.
Charles Ramsey, the former Philadelphia police commissioner and former Washington DC, police chief, told CNN that he agreed with the grand jury’s decision.
“I do believe the one officer should have been charged – what he did was reckless and certainly criminal. The other two officers, however, that were actually making entry into the apartment, I agree they should not have been charged criminally,” Ramsey told CNN.
The Seattle Police Department has just released information on the number of arrests made during last night’s protests in the city.
“In total, officers arrested 13 individuals for charges ranging from property destruction, resisting arrest and failure to disperse as well as assault on an officer,” the department said in a news release.
Multiple officers sustained injuries, it added, including “one who was struck in the head with a baseball bat cracking his helmet.”
The police also acknowledged there is footage circulating of an officer’s bike rolling over the head of a person in the street.
“In addition to this, the Seattle Police Department is aware of a video circulating on the internet that apparently shows an SPD bike officer’s bike rolling over the head of an individual laying in the street. This matter will be referred to the Office of Professional Accountability for further investigation.”
The Seattle Police have made additional arrests early this morning as protesters continue their violence against authorities, according to the police department.
“Protestors continue to throw rocks, bottles, and even a fire extinguisher at officers. Additional arrests have been made,” police continued in a post on Twitter
Charles Ramsey, the former Philadelphia police commissioner and former Washington, DC, police chief, told CNN earlier tonight that he agreed with the grand jury’s decision not to charge a single officer with killing Breonna Taylor.
Only one of the officers involved in her death was indicted, on the charge of first-degree wanton endangerment.
“I do believe the one officer should have been charged – what he did was reckless and certainly criminal. The other two officers, however, that were actually making entry into the apartment, I agree they should not have been charged criminally,” Ramsey told CNN.
Ramsey said that although Taylor’s death was “unfortunate” and “tragic,” the other officers had been “justified in returning fire” because Taylor’s boyfriend had fired the first shot when the police entered her apartment using a no-knock warrant.
What happened that night: Taylor was sleeping next to her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker III, in the early hours of March 13, when they heard a noise. They both got up and walked to the door.
Police forced entry into the home, and Walker said he couldn’t see but he fired one shot. After entering, an officer was shot in the leg, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said earlier today.
Collectively, the three officers at the scene fired more than 30 rounds.
Jarrett Hill, a politics and pop culture journalist, told CNN earlier tonight that the indictment in Breonna Taylor’s case only confirmed that “the system is not working for us.”
“I think the message to the people across this country is we don’t care about you, especially if you are black, and even more if you are women,” he said.
“All of those things combined, put together with this moment of how frustrated we are about the ways Breonna Taylor was treated by the Louisville police, I think it really creates a perfect storm of a lot of things.”
It’s nearing midnight in Portland, Oregon, but protesters are still active on the streets, even as police urge them to disperse.
The police earlier said those associated with the gathering were part of an unlawful assembly.
Protesters in Seattle, Washington, have started clashing with law enforcement, according to the Seattle Police Department.
Police added that they had fired pepper spray after protesters cut security cameras at the East Precinct.
Eight people have been arrested so far, police said.
The FBI Louisville office is asking for the public’s help for information on those who were involved in the shooting of two police officers in Louisville, Kentucky tonight during the protests.
It’s just past 11:30 p.m. PT on the West Coast, but crowds of protesters are still marching after today’s news of the indictment in the Breonna Taylor case.
Protesters are marching in downtown Los Angeles, California, where some demonstrators blocked a police vehicle earlier tonight.
Protesters are also on the streets of Portland, Oregon, where they have gathered near the Justice Center.
People marched in cities across the United States Wednesday, including New York, Philadelphia, Louisville, and Nashville.
Police ordered hundreds of protesters to disperse from downtown San Diego tonight, after clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.
The police said demonstrators may be arrested if they do not disperse. Officers also said there are several routes allowing free movement out of the area.
There are also other protests happening across the West Coast, including in Los Angeles, California and Portland, Oregon.
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother, was surrounded by her youngest daughter, sister, and attorneys when she learned that only one officer would be indicted for wanton endangerment.
There was “a lot of sadness and weeping,” said Christopher 2X, a community activist who is assisting Palmer and who stood outside the room when Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the decision.
As Palmer wiped away her tears, she was embraced by her daughter Bianca Austin and attorney Lonita Baker, who attempted to comfort her.
Baker described it as a “tough” situation and said they were “just loving on each other as a family.”
“We didn’t fathom that it would be a situation where they would indict on charges against the neighbors and absolutely nothing on Breonna,” she said.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris tweeted about Breonna Taylor on Wednesday night, after the grand jury indictment.
“We must never stop speaking Breonna’s name as we work to reform our justice system, including overhauling no-knock warrants.”
Former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has tweeted his thoughts on tonight’s protests and the shooting of two police officers in Louisville:
Editor’s note: Laura Coates is a CNN senior legal analyst. She is a former assistant US attorney for the District of Columbia and trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. The views expressed in this commentary are her own.
After 195 days, no officer has been arrested or charged for killing Breonna Taylor.
Wednesday’s grand jury indictment of former Louisville Det. Brett Hankison hasn’t brought justice for the death of Breonna Taylor. Hankison was charged with first-degree wanton endangerment charges because, prosecutors say, bullets from his firearm entered a neighboring apartment where three residents were home. In truth, this has changed nothing.
Justice feels like the elusive carrot that is dangled but never caught.
Consider the fact that Hankison was charged for shooting in the manner that could have killed someone.
No officer has been charged for the fact that someone actually did die.
Here’s the apparent logic behind that decision: Sgt. John Mattingly, Det. Myles Cosgrove and now-fired Det. Hankison executed a warrant on Taylor’s residence. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, inside the home at the time, feared they were the victims of a home invasion when the officers banged on the door but, according to Walker, didn’t respond when Taylor asked “Who is it?” before breaking down the door.
As the front door was broken down, Walker fired one shot at the first person to enter the apartment, hitting Mattingly. Mattingly and Cosgrove, returning fire in the direction of Walker, shot six and 16 times respectively, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said. Hankison, meanwhile, indiscriminately and, according to interim Louisville Police chief Robert Schroeder, “blindly” fired 10 rounds into the apartment.
Collectively, the three officers fired more than 30 rounds. Cameron, citing medical evidence obtained by his team, said that six bullets struck Breonna Taylor, with one being fatal. Taylor was in the hallway with Walker when she was struck. Prosecutors could not determine who fired the fatal shot or if Hankinson ever shot Taylor, but ultimately concluded that Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in their use of force and would not be charged in Taylor’s death. Hankison’s attorney has declined to comment.
Read the full opinion here:
Athletes – many of whom have used their platforms to take stances against police brutality over the past few months – expressed their disappointment Wednesday after a grand jury in Louisville decided not to charge officers with killing Breonna Taylor.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said on Twitter, “I’ve been lost for words today!”
“I’m devastated, hurt, sad, mad! We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life. Was I surprised at the verdict. Absolutely not but damnit I was & still am hurt and heavy hearted! I send my love to Breonna mother, family and friends! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!!”
His Lakers teammate Danny Green said in a news conference that the decision was a “disappointment,” and that “our voices aren’t being heard loud enough.” But Green added that “we’re going to continue fighting, we’re going to continue to push, we’re going to continue to use our voices.”
WNBA player Kayla McBride, a guard on the Las Vegas Aces, said the news is “a tough pill to swallow, because it’s a large part of why we’re here.”
USWNT star Megan Rapinoe also wrote on Twitter, “My heart is with the family of Breonna Taylor right now. My god. This is devastating and unfortunately not surprising. Black and brown folx in this country deserve so much more.”
It’s just past midnight Eastern Time, and protests are ongoing across the country after Wednesday’s indictment in the Breonna Taylor case. Here’s what you need to know:
The indictment: Only one of the three officers involved in Taylor’s death was indicted on first-degree wanton endangerment charges.
The other two officers who also fired shots during the botched March raid were not indicted, meaning no officer was charged with killing Taylor.
The public reaction: Demonstrators and activists immediately criticized the charges against the former detective, Brett Hankison.
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents Taylor’s family, called the indictment “outrageous and offensive.” The NAACP also said the justice system “failed” Taylor and the charges against one officer do “not go far enough.”
The protests: Protesters marched today in several US cities including New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Louisville, Nashville, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
In some cities, the protests have escalated into clashes with law enforcement; two officers were shot in Louisville, and police fired tear gas at protesters in Atlanta.
Breonna Taylor’s mother learned about the results of the grand jury indictment just two minutes before Attorney General Daniel Cameron made his announcement, even after It was expected the family would have a heads-up on the decision, family attorney Sam Aguiar told CNN.
CNN has reached out to the attorney general’s office for comment.
Quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick tweeted his reaction to the Breonna Taylor indictment on Wednesday, saying, “The white supremacist institution of policing that stole Breonna Taylor’s life from us must be abolished for the safety and well being of our people.”
He included the hashtags “Breonna Taylor,” “Say Her Name,” and “Abolish The Police.”
The Denver Police Department said they are on the scene where a vehicle drove into a protest in the city’s downtown this evening.
The police department confirmed on Twitter that there were no injuries and one man has been detained.
Protesters took to the streets in downtown Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday after news broke that no police officer had been charged with killing Breonna Taylor.
Several protesters have been arrested this evening, the police department said.
The police department will release the final tally of arrests on Thursday.
Ben Crump, the attorney for Breonna Taylor’s family, told CNN tonight that the family is “outraged” by the grand jury’s decision not to charge the Louisville police officers with killing Taylor.
“It’s like killing Breonna all over again. Legalized genocide of people of color, because no matter how much evidence we have, they always find a way to try to legally justify it,” Crump said. “The DA can indict a ham sandwich if they want to … We strongly feel they did not want an indictment against these police officers.”
“We stand here today to say that there is no justification for the murder of Breonna Taylor. And we will go to our graves proclaiming that Breonna Taylor did not get justice from the Kentucky attorney general’s office.”
Grand jury’s decision: One of the three officers involved in Taylor’s case was indicted on first-degree wanton endangerment charges. The two other officers will face no charges following months of demonstrations and unrest over the killing.
Police in Louisville, Kentucky, have made up to 46 arrests today as protesters took to the downtown streets, according to Louisville Police Sgt. Lamont Washington.
Protests turned chaotic earlier tonight, with two police officers shot. Neither have life-threatening injuries, and are receiving treatment, police said. One suspect is in custody.
A 72-hour curfew went into effect in Louisville at 9 p.m. ET.
Hundreds of protesters are still out in New York, heading back from Manhattan to Brooklyn across the Williamsburg Bridge.
The crowd gathered earlier in the day in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, before crossing the Manhattan Bridge into the East Village.
“We’re talking about hundreds and hundreds, if not more than 1,000 or so, people out in the streets. It’s a festive atmosphere. There has been drumming, there’s a trumpet player. A guy on roller skates with a guitar. So it’s a festive atmosphere – but they are still angry, I should say … very, very angry about the results of this case.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear urged protesters to go home tonight, after two police officers were shot in Louisville, the city where Breonna Taylor was killed.
“There will be many times over the coming days where there will be an opportunity to be heard and so many people are listening right now. As your governor, I’ve promised to listen.”
Beshear added that he is thinking about the two injured officers and their family.
“But let’s make sure we don’t see any more violence tonight, and let’s make sure that we find ways of expressing ourselves moving forward where your point and other people’s points are made and that hopefully we can not just listen, but we can hear,” he said, urging people to “stay safe.”
As night falls, large protests are taking place in several major US cities following the grand jury indictment in the Breonna Taylor case.
In Louisville, Kentucky, where Taylor was killed, two police officers have been shot during the protests. Crowds are still out despite a 72-hour curfew that went into effect at 9 p.m. ET. Some 500 members of the Kentucky National Guard were deployed earlier in the day, and a heavy police presence was deployed downtown to clear the streets during curfew.
In New York, several hundred protesters are assembled in Manhattan. They started gathering hours ago in Brooklyn near the Barclays Center, before marching across the Manhattan Bridge into the East Village. Protesters on the street are diverse, including parents and families earlier in the evening.
One protester on a bicycle was struck by a pickup truck upstate in Buffalo, New York, earlier tonight. The bicyclist has non-life threatening injuries, police said.
In Atlanta, protests stayed peaceful for hours, with hundreds of protesters marching through the city’s downtown. But things heated up later in the evening, with the Georgia State Patrol deploying tear gas against the protesters.
Other cities with protests include Nashville, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; St. Paul, Minnesota; Washington, DC; and Chicago, Illinois.
Two officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department were shot Wednesday night during protests of the Breonna Taylor case, the interim chief of the Louisville Police Department confirmed in a press briefing.
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder told reporters that one officer is in surgery, and both are in stable condition. A suspect is in custody, according to Schroeder.
“I am very concerned about the safety of our officers,” Schroeder said.
Schroeder said that around 8:30 p.m. ET, officers had been deployed downtown after shots were fired in a crowded area.
The names of the officers were not released.
Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, has commented on the shooting of police in the protests in Louisville tonight.
CNN has only confirmed one officer has been shot.
The FBI Louisville field office said it has deployed a SWAT team to respond to a Louisville Metro Police Department officer being shot and “will continue to assist in the investigation.”
The department has not provided additional details on the shooting. The department has scheduled a news conference tonight.
Father Michael Pfleger led a group of protesters in Chicago, Illinois, today before using fake blood to paint Breonna Taylor’s name in the street.
The 72-hour curfew is underway in Louisville, Kentucky, as protests continue following the grand jury indictment in the Breonna Taylor case.
The curfew is in effect from 9 p.m. ET to 6:30 a.m. ET.
Because most protest-related violence over the past few months occurred after dark, Mayor Greg Fischer signed an executive order setting a countywide curfew.
“The curfew is related to the well-being of our citizens and businesses due to the potential unrest,” the executive order said.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has released a statement following the grand jury decision not to charge the Louisville officers with killing Breonna Taylor, saying that he knows that for so many people, the decision “does not answer” the call for equal justice.
He added that the federal investigation remains ongoing, but in order to address the injustice, “we need to start by addressing the use of excessive force, banning choke holds, and overhauling no-knock warrants.”
Biden once again warned that violence is “never acceptable” but notes that people have a right to peacefully protest.
The Louisville Metro Police Department announced Wednesday night that one officer has been shot.
The department did not provide additional details.
“We currently have an officer shot,” department spokesperson Sgt. Lamont Washington said in a news statement.
“We’ll update when we can,” he added.
Watch CNN coverage here:
Protesters are gathering tonight in Louisville, New York and Washington, DC, following the Kentucky attorney general’s decision to not charge officers directly with Breonna Taylor’s death.
One of the three officers involved in Taylor’s death was charged today with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree. No officers were charged directly with her death.
Crowds of demonstrators marched along Black Lives Matter Plaza in DC.
Several hundred people gathered outside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and chanted, “we want justice for Breonna.”
Angelo Pinto wore a black mask that read “Breonna Taylor” as he and others marched through the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, where a city curfew goes into effect at 9 p.m. local time.
“No justice, no peace,” the protesters chanted. Pinto is the co-founder of Until Freedom, a social justice organization fighting against systemic and racial injustice.
CNN’s Christina Zdanowicz contributed to this report.
Watch CNN coverage here:
Numerous leaders in the entertainment industry who have been calling for justice for Breonna Taylor are speaking out after a Kentucky grand jury on Wednesday determined police would not be directly charged in her death.
Here are what some celebrities said:
Chef Anthony Lamas told CNN it is “disheartening” to see police and protesters two blocks from his restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.
He is the owner and chef of Seviche restaurant, which is on Bardstown Road.
“Two blocks in front of my restaurant, it’s getting real,” Lamas said in an Instagram video. “This is the road that leads to my restaurant, but I’m not really sure of what to think.”
Lamas said he had to close the restaurant tonight because of the protests. He added how hard it’s been financially to operate at a 50% capacity due to the pandemic.
“It’s pretty intense right now but I didn’t think any of this would happen to Bardstown Road,” he said in one of his Instagram videos, as police gave announcements over a loud speaker.
President Trump praised the remarks made by Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron when asked Wednesday evening to weigh in on charges related to the Breonna Taylor case.
During a White House press briefing, Trump called Cameron’s statement “brilliant” and said he was doing “a fantastic job” and called him “a star.”
“I will be speaking with the governor,” Trump said, adding that he has a call scheduled. “I understand that he’s called up the National Guard, which is a good thing.”
“It’ll all work out,” he added.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump would not weigh in on whether justice was served in the Taylor case, after it was announced on Wednesday that no officers would be charged directly in her death.
Asked during an event at the White House Wednesday afternoon whether justice had been served, Trump told reporters, “I don’t know enough about it. I heard a decision was just made. We’ve been together here so we haven’t discussed it. But after I see what the decision is, I will have a comment.”
CNN reported earlier Wednesday that a former Louisville police officer has been indicted by a grand jury on first-degree wanton endangerment charges for his actions on the night Taylor, a Black woman, was killed by police — but not for her death. Two other officers at the shooting were not indicted.
He went on to tout his usual policy points he sees as successes for the Black community: opportunity zones, criminal justice reform, prison reform and Historically Black Colleges and Universities
“Nobody’s done more. Abraham Lincoln let’s give him the nod, but beyond that, nobody’s done more,” Trump said.
Former Louisville Metro Police officer Brett Hankison was released from jail Wednesday after surrendering to authorities and posting bond, his attorney Stew Matthews told CNN.
Hankison, one of the three officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor, was charged today with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.
His bail was listed at $15,000 on an indictment released by Kentucky’s Jefferson County Circuit Court earlier in the day.
Hankison was booked at the Shelby County jail, according to Matthews, who declined to provide additional details, saying he “can’t comment at this time because I don’t know enough about all of the facts.”
Lonita Baker, an attorney representing Breonna Taylor’s family, responded to prosecutors’ decision not to charge police officers involved in the death of Taylor with murder, saying the decision was both “offensive and … egregious.”
Speaking with CNN’S Wolf Blitzer, Baker targeted Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s theory that police officers had acted in self-defense because Taylor’s boyfriend had fired first, saying the attorney general “needs to continue to research the law on self-defense in Kentucky.”
“It did not take six times to shoot an unarmed woman,” added Baker. “They were not entitled to self-defense. They were not justified under self-defense in this case.”
Watch here:
Police confronted protesters in downtown Louisville hours after a Jefferson County grand jury charged former Louisville officer Brett Hankison with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.
Aerial video from CNN affiliate WLKY showed heavy police presence along with large groups of protesters gathering at intersections. Video showed some of these groups involved in shoving matches and confrontations with police.
A citywide curfew for Louisville will go into effect at 9 p.m. local time.
Watch here:
In an interview with Charlotte CNN affiliate WSOC, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden urged any one protesting after the announcement of charges in the Breonna Taylor case to remain peaceful and not engage in violence.
Biden did not comment further on the decision; he said he was waiting for more details.
Former Philadelphia police chief Charles Ramsey said Wednesday that he agrees with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s decision to not indict the police officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death.
“Based on what he presented at the press conference, I agree totally,” Ramsey said.
The former police chief and CNN contributor cited the actions of Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, the night of her death as a significant factor for charges not being filed in her death.
Ramsey went on to add his insight from his many years in law enforcement.
“It’s a high risk every time you execute a warrant,” Ramsey said. “When they hit that door and went inside, they saw an individual fire a gun, one officer went down, they returned fire. That’s the information they had at the time. It’s certainly tragic, there’s no question about that. But you have to look at the moment and what took place. And that seems to be somehow being lost in this conversation.”
Watch here:
Acknowledging that there are people who feel the announcement by the Kentucky attorney general’s office “fall short of achieving justice,” Mayor Greg Fischer outlined other ongoing investigations into Breonna Taylor’s death.
The FBI is still conducting its investigation that the Department of Justice will review to determine if any federal laws, including civil rights violations, were violated.
The Louisville Metro Police Department is also conducting a professional standards investigation to determine if “policies and procedures were violated by officers involved in the case,” Fischer said.
It’s clear that policies and procedures in Louisville need to change “because Breonna Taylor still should be alive,” the mayor added.
Justice for Taylor means “a commitment to eliminating systemic and structural racism in our city, in our country,” Fischer said.
He appealed to the people of Louisville to “turn to each other, not on each other” during what he called “this moment of opportunity.”
The attorney for Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend slammed prosecutors’ decision not to charge police officers involved in the death of Taylor with murder, saying the case should go before a jury.
“If they’ve got a defense, which they do, let them present to a jury and see if a jury agrees with them,” Steven Romines, the attorney for Kenneth Walker III, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer this afternoon.
“Our system of justice depends on jurors and letting jurors decide,” he continued. “It is not prosecutors acting as kings and saying, ‘no, we’re not going to charge whoever we don’t want charged’… that’s what’s occurred here… and it is a tragedy.”
Watch here:
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson encouraged people upset by the lack of criminal charges in the death of Breonna Taylor not to respond with violence, noting the coming presidential election.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said they are not implementing preemptive measures against possible unrest that they have used in the past, such as closing bridges to the city.
“We have evolved in the way in which we’re handling these circumstances,” Lightfoot said.
Jackson also called for protesters to respond to the decision of the grand jury by boycotting “every non-essential service in Kentucky,” adding that he believes athletes recruited to the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky should not go to those schools.
“We should put Kentucky on the South African list,” Jackson said, referring to international boycotts of that country during its policy of apartheid.
Members of the Kentucky National Guard and Kentucky State Police have been activated to work in Louisville, Gov. Andy Beshear said this afternoon.
The National Guard’s deployment is “limited” in scope, they have specific operations, and are under their own command, he said.
There is also a limited group of Kentucky State Police operating in Louisville to assist the Louisville Metro Police Department, the governor said. They too are under their own command and are there to provide assistance if needed.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on Attorney General Daniel Cameron to publicly release information relating to his office’s investigation into Breonna Taylor’s death.
In his news conference earlier this afternoon, Cameron spoke about information, facts and evidence that neither the governor nor the public had seen, he said.
Beshear has asked for information that won’t impact the counts outlined in the indictment to be publicly released.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for a citywide moment of silence Wednesday night to honor Breonna Taylor, after a Kentucky grand jury declined to press any charges directly related to Taylor’s shooting death by Louisville Police.
The moment of silence is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time, and Lightfoot says she hopes the city will respect the family’s request for protests to be peaceful.
“I want you to know that I support you and will do everything in my power to protect you as you voice your righteous anger,” Lightfoot said.
Large numbers of police officers dressed in riot gear have been seen in Louisville, Kentucky, this afternoon following the news that a grand jury has indicted one officer involved in Breonna Taylor’s death.
Numerous people have been seen approaching the lines of officers to talk while others took photos and videos.
An attorney for one of the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor case issued a statement after the grand jury’s announcement and decision not to indict his client, saying it shows the “system worked.”
Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly’s attorney, Kent J. Wicker, said, “The grand jury’s decision to not indict Sgt. Mattingly or Det. [Myles] Cosgrove shows that the system worked and that grand jurors recognized and respected the facts of the case.”
The NAACP said in a statement following the announcement of the grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case that the justice system “failed” her and the charges against one officer do “not go far enough.”
“The justice system failed Breonna Taylor and, as such, failed us,” the statement added.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said his office’s investigation took so long because of how thorough it was.
Breonna Taylor, her family, officers, Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky deserved a thorough investigation, he said.
The length of the investigation was a reflection “of how important it was to get this right,” he said.
In the news conference, Cameron also said his office’s investigation started “from scratch” as there was no body cam footage related to the case.
Watch here:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky responded in a tweet to the indictment of one officer in the Breonna Taylor case.
Read the statement:
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said his office determined the police officers knocked and announced their presence at Breonna Taylor’s home when she was killed.
That determination was made based on statements by other officers who were present at the location, and that information was corroborated by another civilian witness who was nearby at the time, he said.
Some background: Taylor was killed in March. The officers broke down the door to her apartment while executing a late-night, “no-knock” warrant in a narcotics investigation on March 13.
Following her death, the Louisville city council in June passed Breonna’s Law, which banned no-knock warrants and requires officers serving search warrants to wear body cameras.
Watch here:
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron vowed to “vigorously prosecute” the criminal charges announced against one of the three officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s case.
A grand jury announced earlier today it was indicting former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.
Cameron also announced that he was creating “a task force to review the process for securing securing and executing search warrants in Kentucky.” Members of the public, law enforcement, elected officials, defense attorneys and representatives from the judiciary will be included in the task force, he said.
“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,” he said.
Watch here:
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron called Breonna Taylor’s death “a tragedy” and said that “sometimes, the criminal law is not adequate,” he said today during a news conference in Louisville.
Watch here:
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced that the grand jury voted to return an indictment for three felony counts of wanton endangerment against former Louisville detective Brett Hankison.
Cameron said that if convicted, Hankison “can serve up to five years for each count.”
“My office is prepared to prove these charges at trial,” Cameron said. “However, it’s important to note he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Watch here:
Following the indictment of one officer involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the other two officers on the scene were “justified in their use of force.”
Moments ago, a Jefferson County grand jury charged former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.
Officers Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly were not indicted. Cameron said their actions the night Taylor died were justified after Kenneth Walker, Taylor’s boyfriend, fired first.
An FBI crime lab determined Cosgrove fired the shot that killed Taylor. “Six bullets struck Ms. Taylor and… only one shot was fatal,” Cameron said, adding she would have died within “a few seconds to two minutes.”
Watch here:
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron began his announcement on the Breonna Taylor case by again issuing condolences to her family.
He said the pain many across the country feel is “understandable.”
“In this case, a human life was lost. We can not forget that,” Cameron said.
However, Cameron said his job required him to “investigate the facts.”
“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,” he added.
Moments ago, a Jefferson County grand jury has charged former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison, one of the three officers involved in Taylor’s case, with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.
Watch:
rowd of demonstrators started marching in downtown Louisville after a grand jury announced that one of the three officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor was indicted.
CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz, who was on the scene, said they were waiting for the attorney general’s news conference, “so he could explain himself and how he proceeded with this case, why he chose the route he chose.”
He noted that there was no police presence.
“I think the police sort of have said that they were going to allow protesters to come to this area, to peacefully protest,” Prokupecz said.
Ben Crump, attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, tweeted following the announcement that one of the officers involved had been indicted in the case.
Crump said the announcement that former officer Brett Hankinson was indicted on wanton endangerment was “not fully what we wanted,” but added “this brings us closer to justice” for Taylor.
Read his tweet:
A Jefferson County grand jury has charged former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison, one of the three officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor, with three counts of wanton endangerment of the first degree.
Hankison was fired from the department more than three months after Taylor’s death. He was informed in a letter signed by the police chief that his employment with the department “is terminated,” effective immediately.
Hankison violated standard operating procedure when his “actions displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life” when he “wantonly and blindly fired ten (10) rounds” into Taylor’s apartment, then Police Chief Robert Schroeder wrote in the letter.
Cities across the American South are on alert as Louisville and the nation wait on the announcement of a decision in the Breonna Taylor investigation.
In Atlanta, police officer Anthony W. Grant, the Atlanta Police Department is “monitoring the Breonna Taylor court decision closely and we are prepared to make adjustments as necessary.”
The city of Atlanta had a number of protests, some turned violent and destructive, this summer. One incident in the downtown area resulted in six Atlanta officers being charged with using excessive force. The unrest lead to Gov. Brian Kemp sending in the National Guard to help restore calm.
Meanwhile, in Little Rock, Arkansas, Lt. Casey Clark, public affairs commander of the city’s police department, told CNN that while Little Rock is not “moving barricades in and closing streets down like in Louisville,” they “are monitoring the situation.”
“We have asked our personnel to have situational awareness and be prepared to come in if needed, if not already on duty. Our Department maintains on-going plans/procedures to deal with both protests and civil unrest,” Casey told CNN Wednesday.
And in Knoxville, Tennessee, police are monitoring the decision as well.
“The Knoxville Police Department is and will continue to monitor the situation, and we are prepared to respond appropriately to maintain public safety,” Knoxville Police Department Communications Manager Scott Erland told CNN Wednesday.
CNN has reached out to governors, mayors, and police departments across the regional South but has only heard back from what is reported above.
Kentucky’s Commonwealth Attorney Tom Wine told CNN that his office supports peaceful protests, but will get involved if someone intentionally causes destruction of property, someone uses a weapon which could constitute wonton endangerment or is involved in an assault.
“But the rest of it, people protesting and marching demanding justice, I’m all for it. Let them march. Let them have that opportunity. Let the people in leadership positions understand the depth of their feelings and their concerns,” Wine said.
In recent months, most of the protesters have been charged with misdemeanor offenses such as obstruction of traffic or disorderly conduct and those cases were handled by the county attorney, Mike O’Connell, who has dismissed a lot of them, according Wine.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced that some government building in the city’s downtown area will be closed the rest of today and tomorrow as the city prepares for an expected announcement in the Breonna Taylor case.
“And I’m asking downtown area businesses to allow employees to work remotely as well whenever possible,” he said at a news conference.
These are the buildings that will be closing, according to the mayor:
Taylor’s case, along with other high-profile killings of Black people by police, have sparked protests in Louisville and across the US over racial injustice.
Louisville Metro Police Chief Robert Schroeder spoke ahead of an expected grand jury announcement in the Breonna Taylor case.
Schroeder detailed various street closures that are happening in Louisville today and said that all vacation days and off days have been canceled for police this week.
The chief also confirmed that the Kentucky National Guard has been activated.
In anticipation of demonstrations in the city, the chief called for anyone gathering to “peacefully express themselves.”
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Robert Schroeder announced Wednesday a countywide curfew starting tonight at 9 p.m. local time.
The 72-hour curfew will be between 9 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., he said.
The city of Louisville, Kentucky, agreed to pay $12 million to the family of Breonna Taylor and institute sweeping police reforms in a historic settlement of the family’s wrongful death lawsuit.
Mayor Greg Fischer, Taylor’s family and their attorneys announced the settlement at a joint news conference on Sept. 15. Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was killed in her home by police on March 13.
As part of the settlement, the city agreed to establish a housing credit program as an incentive for officers to live in the areas they serve; use social workers to provide support on certain police runs; and require commanders to review and approve search warrants before seeking judicial approval, among other changes.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office confirmed the $12 million settlement is the highest-ever paid by the city. Family attorney Benjamin Crump called the payout “historic” and said he believed it is one of the largest amounts ever paid out for a Black woman killed by police in the US.
Mayor Fischer said the city is not admitting wrongdoing in the agreement.
“I cannot begin to imagine Ms. Palmer’s pain,” Fischer said. “And I am deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna’s death.”
Breonna Taylor, an EMT and aspiring nurse, was killed in her own home in March when three plainclothes Louisville police officers executing a “no-knock” warrant returned gunfire after her boyfriend fired a warning shot because he thought he was shooting at intruders.
None of the officers have been charged with a crime. Two of the officers remain on the force. A third officer was fired and is appealing to get his job back.
The FBI is investigating whether Taylor’s civil rights were violated. The city of Louisville, Kentucky, agreed to pay $12 million to the family of Breonna Taylor and institute sweeping police reforms in a historic settlement of the family’s wrongful death lawsuit.
Protests and calls for justice: What’s seen as a delay of justice for Taylor’s family has moved millions around the world, shaking the consciousness and gaining support from a wide group of stakeholders, including celebrities like NBA superstar LeBron James and Oprah Winfrey who have spoken out against racial injustice.
As a rallying cry, the hashtag #SayHerName has been plastered across signs and social media, and sung at rallies by marchers for social justice across America this summer as the investigations for the deaths of Black men at the hands of police — including George Floyd — seem to have moved faster through the criminal justice system.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. ET to announce the results of grand jury proceedings in the investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor, his office announced in a statement.
The news conference will take place that the Kentucky History Center in Frankfort, the state’s capital, the statement from the attorney general’s office said.
