Breonna Taylor, Louisville EMT, killed in botched police raid

Attorneys claim LMPD officers killed 26-year-old EMT in 'botched' police raid

"Had Breonna Taylor been killed by anyone except police, the person or persons responsible for her death would have been charged with a homicide," defense attorney Rob Eggert said in

www.wdrb.com

Attorneys claim LMPD officers killed 26-year-old EMT in 'botched' police raid



But an attorney for Kenneth Walker claims police conducted an improper raid, which led to officers shooting an innocent woman eight times, killing her. The woman, 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, was a certified EMT working at two local hospitals.

Defense attorney Rob Eggert said police burst in Taylor's home without announcing their presence and fired at least 22 times, with bullets going into neighboring apartments, and “it was incredible that Mrs. Taylor was the only one killed.”

“Had Breonna Taylor been killed by anyone except police, the person or persons responsible for her death would have been charged with a homicide,” Eggert said in a court document, also alleging Walker is a “victim of police misconduct.”

Taylor’s family says neither Walker nor Taylor was involved in drugs and believe police were looking for someone else.

“These are two good kids,” said Bianca Austin, Taylor’s aunt. “This is incompetent police work. My niece lost her life over this.”

Austin said LMPD has not given the family any answers as to what happened.

An attorney representing the family, Sam Aguiar, said police were actually looking for someone else and other officers had picked the suspect up at his home in a separate raid shortly before the shooting.

Breonna Taylor: Louisville EMT Killed in Botched Police Raid, Lawyer Says

Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician (EMT), was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police officers on March 13 during a raid on her home with boyfriend Kenneth Walker.

heavy.com

Breonna Taylor: Louisville EMT Killed in Botched Police Raid, Lawyer Says

Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency medical technician (EMT) who was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police on March 13 during a late-night raid on her home where her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was also sleeping.

Walker, who was arrested and charged with attempted homicide on accusations he shot one of the police officers during the raid, is being defended by attorney Rob Eggert. Eggert told local news station WDBR that Walker was acting in self-defense and said Taylor’s death was the result of “police misconduct.”

Walker has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

1. Taylor, Who Also Worked for Two Hospitals, Wrote That She Loved Helping Others

On her Facebook page, Taylor described her love for helping others. “Working in health care is so rewarding! It makes me so happy when I know I’ve made a difference in someone else’s life!” she said.

2. Taylor Was Shot Shortly After She Was Awakened by the Raid

According to reports from the local WDRB TV station, officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Criminal Interdiction Division used a battering ram to break down the door and rushed into the house on Springfield Drive at 1 a.m., waking Taylor and her boyfriend, Walker. Walker shot at the officers, wounding one, and the three who entered fired some 22 shots back, according to Eggert, Walker’s defense attorney; Taylor was shot eight times and died.

According to Walker’s lawyer, Walker shot back in self-defense because he said police did not announce themselves. His lawyer wrote to the court that Walker “wishes to exonerate himself. His girlfriend was killed in a hail of police bullets while naked and he himself simply acted to try to protect himself.”

3. Walker Is Accused of Attempted Murder

Walker, 27, was arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault after police say he shot Sgt. John Mattingly; Mattingly survived and underwent surgery for his injuries.

Walker pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer argued that he acted in self-defense because he didn’t know who was at the door.

“Had Mr. Walker known that police were outside he would have opened the door and ushered them in,” Eggert told the Courier Journal, adding that no drugs were found, the home belonged to Taylor and Walker wasn’t even the target of the police’s search warrant.

Sam Aguiar, a lawyer for Taylor’s family, told WDRB that it was a case of misidentification and that he believed officers were looking for someone else connected to a different raid.

4. Taylor’s Death Sparked Sadness and Outrage

Taylor’s sister, Tracy Chapman, has posted messages seeking #JusticeforBree often, and Taylor was recently featured on a Facebook page “The Misidentified 4 – Louisville.”

5. Police Say the Matter Is Being Investigated

In an email to WDRB, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad declined to discuss the “incident that resulted in Ms. Taylor’s death” due to the pending Public Integrity investigation. However, he did note that no camera footage was available for the incident, because Criminal Interdiction Division officers do not wear them.

Mattingly, Det. Myles Cosgrove and Det. Brent Hankison have all been placed on administrative leave. One of them, Cosgrove, was sued for excessive force by a man he shot in 2006 at a Speedway gas station; Cosgrove won the suit.

At a press conference held 15 hours after the shooting, Conrad said, “We are extremely fortunate that our officer John Mattingly was not more seriously injured. We have no body-worn video cameras to share with you … even without the videos, our Public Integrity Unit will conduct a complete review of this case.”https://www.facebook.com/dialog/sha...om/news/2020/05/breonna-taylor/&display=popup

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Civil rights attorney in Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin cases retained by family of EMT shot, killed by LMPD officer

Breonna Taylor was shot inside a home in the 3000 block of Springfield Drive on March 13.

www.wave3.com

Civil rights attorney in Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin cases retained by family of EMT shot, killed by LMPD officer

The family of an EMT who was shot and killed by Louisville police has retained a high-profile civil rights and personal injury attorney.

Attorney Ben Crump, along with attorneys Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker, have been retained by the family of Breonna Taylor, 26.


A press release from Crump’s office states, “Taylor and her boyfriend were asleep in their apartment when Louisville Police burst into the home without warning using a battering ram, in search of a suspect who was already in their custody. Louisville Police shot Breonna eight times, killing her. Two months later, Taylor’s boyfriend remains behind bars and no one from Louisville Police has been held accountable for her inexcusable death.”

Crump said, “We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department. Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, the Department has not provided any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred, nor have they taken responsibility for her senseless killing.”

The officers were placed on administrative leave following the shooting.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

This "no-knock raid" stuff needs to stop. Too many people dying. Other cities are stopping them.
Charging a guy with attempted murder for shooting at unknown intruders in his own home in the middle of the night? BS.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Breonna Taylor police shooting: What we know about the Kentucky woman's death

The 26-year-old was shot and killed by Louisville police in March following what her family calls a "botched" raid at her home.

www.nbcnews.com

Breonna Taylor police shooting: What we know about the Kentucky woman's death

Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep in their apartment when just before 1 a.m. on March 13 three plainclothes officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department arrived to execute a search warrant in a drug case.

The two believed their apartment was being broken into when police busted through the door, according to a lawsuit by Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer.

Walker called 911, grabbed a gun and fired, shooting an officer in the leg. He had a license to carry and kept firearms in the home, and Taylor was unarmed.

The lawsuit accuses the officers of "blindly firing" more than 20 shots into the apartment. Taylor, a former EMT worker, was shot eight times and died. Walker, 27, was arrested and charged with assault and attempted murder on a police officer.

Taylor and Walker had no criminal history or drug convictions, and no drugs were found in the apartment during the raid, the suit states.

Police have not commented directly on Taylor's death. The three officers involved in the shooting were reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation.

The no-knock search warrant

According to The Courier-Journal in Louisville, a judge had approved a "no-knock" search warrant, meaning police could enter the home without identifying themselves.

At a March 13 news conference, police Lt. Ted Eidem said officers had knocked on the door several times and “announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant.” After forcing their way in, they “were immediately met by gunfire,” Eidem said.

But the lawsuit by Taylor's family says that police did not knock or identify themselves before they busted into the apartment.

Records show that the police investigation was centered around a "trap house" more than 10 miles from Taylor's apartment, according to The Courier-Journal. Her family said officers were looking for a man named Jamarcus Glover, who lived in a different part of the city and was already in police custody when Taylor's home was raided.

 

[GrandmaBear]

An interesting read about allegations against the officer in the raid that were filed previously in a law suit.

Federal Lawsuit Called Officer Involved In Breonna Taylor Shooting A 'Dirty Cop' | Oxygen Official Site

One of the police officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor also allegedly spent years harassing an innocent man and planted drugs on him to facilitate an arrest, a federal lawsuit filed last year claimed.

www.oxygen.com

 

[Howell]

The no-knock search warrant

According to The Courier-Journal in Louisville, a judge had approved a "no-knock" search warrant, meaning police could enter the home without identifying themselves.

At a March 13 news conference, police Lt. Ted Eidem said officers had knocked on the door several times and “announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant.” After forcing their way in, they “were immediately met by gunfire,” Eidem said.

But the lawsuit by Taylor's family says that police did not knock or identify themselves before they busted into the apartment.

Records show that the police investigation was centered around a "trap house" more than 10 miles from Taylor's apartment, according to The Courier-Journal. Her family said officers were looking for a man named Jamarcus Glover, who lived in a different part of the city and was already in police custody when Taylor's home was raided.

So they applied specifically for a no-knock warrant, it was granted, but then they just went and knocked on the door anyway? Why do I find that hard to believe?

 

[GrandmaBear]

This is looking like it is going to be another hotly debated case. I am undecided thus far on this one because what I have read does not seem to be confirmed for the most part, no video, etc. I personally think always wearing a body cam might be a wise idea. I have seen people intentionally picked on by maybe one or two officers regularly and to me a bit of abuse of power, but I have also seen wonderful officers who do an awesome job. This is why I am often torn until more is known. Jmo of course.

 

[GarAndMo39]

This "no-knock raid" stuff needs to stop. Too many people dying. Other cities are stopping them.
Charging a guy with attempted murder for shooting at unknown intruders in his own home in the middle of the night? BS.

Agree 100%. This is an insane concept; you're right, it can only result in more unnecessary deaths!

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

FBI investigating death of Breonna Taylor, killed by police in her Louisville home

Taylor, 26, was at home with her boyfriend when three plainclothes officers arrived to execute a search warrant in a drug case.

www.nbcnews.com

FBI investigating death of Breonna Taylor, killed by police in her Louisville home

The FBI is now investigating the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police during a raid at her home in Louisville, Kentucky.

The FBI’s Louisville branch announced Thursday that it was investigating the shooting after numerous media requests.

“The FBI will collect all facts and evidence and will ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, thorough, and impartial manner,” the statement said.

 

[kdg411]

A Louisville detective wrote in an affidavit that he saw Glover leave Taylor’s apartment two months before the raid with a United States Postal Service package which he then transported to a ‘known drug house,’ according to the Courier Journal.

The detective wrote that he verified the information ‘through a US Postal Inspector.’

But the inspector, Tony Gooden, told WDRB-TV that he was never asked by the Louisville Metro Police about any suspicious packages being sent to Taylor’s apartment.

Gooden said a different law enforcement agency asked his office in January to investigate whether any suspicious mail was going to Taylor’s resident.

After looking into the request, Gooden said his office found there was nothing suspicious linked to Taylor’s home.

‘There's no packages of interest going there,’ Gooden said.

‘Gooden further stated that “no packages of interest were going there”,’ Crump said.

Cop in fatal shooting of black EMT was accused of 'harassing suspect'

Breonna Taylor, 26, left, died in the early hours of March 13 after cops, including Brett Hankison, right, raided the home she shared with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker in Louisville,

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[kdg411]

A Kentucky prosecutor is moving to dismiss an attempted murder charge against the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, who shot a police officer as they entered Taylor's home.

Tom Wine, Louisville's top prosecutor, announced Friday that the case needs more investigation and he wants to let state and federal prosecutors finish their inquiries.

“If, after those reviews, we believe that there is sufficient evidence to present this matter to the grand jury, we will do so," Wine said in an online news conference.

Prosecutor to drop charge against Breonna Taylor's boyfriend

A Kentucky prosecutor is moving to dismiss an attempted murder charge against the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor

abcnews.go.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

The quest for facts in the Breonna Taylor case includes questions about an officer’s whereabouts

Attorneys for Breonna Taylor have filed a long list of demands for information, trying to leave no stone unturned.

www.wave3.com

The quest for facts in the Breonna Taylor case includes questions about an officer’s whereabouts

The quest for facts in the Breonna Taylor case intensifies. Her attorneys have filed a long list of demands for information, trying to leave no stone unturned. One of those questions listed in the motions pertain to the whereabouts for one of the three main officers involved went shortly after the shooting.

The motions include requests such as copies of text messages, deleted emails, and testing of forensics, among many others. It is a wide net in the quest for information in a case that's gained the eyes of the nation.

The documents include questions about the location of Officer Brett Hankison after the shooting. Hankison is the officer who allegedly fired shots from outside the apartment on March 13. WAVE 3 News learned Hankison left the scene shortly afterward.

Documents obtained by WAVE 3 News ask for copies of any body camera videos of officers who attempted to locate Hankison that night.

Sam Aguiar, Taylor's attorney, wants to know why Hankison left the scene, when he left, for how long and where he went.

Hankison is under scrutiny for allegedly firing several rounds into the apartment blindly through closed curtains and blinds.

According to LMPD's policy, involved officers are not supposed to leave the scene of a critical incident on their own.

Hankison is also being sued in a separate federal harassment case.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Breonna would have been 27 today.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'Breonna's Law,' aimed at regulating no-knock warrants in Louisville, passes Public Safety Committee

Mayor Greg Fischer was asked about his thoughts on a no-knock warrant ban and said he fully supports looking at the pros and the cons.

www.wdrb.com

'Breonna's Law,' aimed at regulating no-knock warrants in Louisville, passes Public Safety Committee

After three hours of discussion, Louisville Metro Council's public safety committee voted unanimously Wednesday in approving what is being called "Breonna's Law," proposed legislation that would regulate "no-knock" warrants.

ACLU Kentucky, however, wants Metro Council members to go further than that and ban the warrants.

As it stands now, "Breonna's Law" would require officers to complete a detailed warrant application that must be signed off by the chief of police and other high-ranking officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department. No-knock warrants could only be sought in cases involving a threat of harm or death to officers and civilians. The proposed law would also require officers to use body cameras.

"The use of a no-knock warrant created a chain of events that has damaged the black community and the city of Louisville as a whole," said Keturah Herron with ACLU Kentucky "How different the city could look right now had there been a ban on no-knock warrants. Instead of mourning Breonna Taylor on her birthday, which is this Friday, her family could be celebrating her life in a different way."

Mayor Greg Fischer was asked about his thoughts on a no-knock warrant ban and said he fully supports looking at the pros and the cons.

"We need to understand what the national best practice is behind this," Fischer said. "Is there a rationale for using them under very special circumstances? Normally, I know some people don't like this about me, but I want to take the time to get the facts before we make a decision based on what the best practice in the country is."

The Public Safety Committee said it will meet again Monday to discuss amendments to "Breonna's Law." The proposal is expected to be voted on by Metro Council next week.

 

[Skitt]

So they applied specifically for a no-knock warrant, it was granted, but then they just went and knocked on the door anyway? Why do I find that hard to believe?

I once got a phone call in the middle of the night while I was asleep. The voice on the line gruffly said "police outside, open the door or we will break it down". I was dumbfounded and blurted out that there was no one outside my home and I had just moved there. Turns out I had a previous number for someone else they were looking for, and they were outside the wrong home -- wherever they were.

 

[GrandmaBear]

These are only allegations at the moment, however, WOW. And at least one account was prior to Breonna's death...

Officer Named in Breonna Taylor Shooting is Accused by Two Women of Sexual Assault

A Louisville police spokesman tells PEOPLE the department is poised to "conduct an investigation" into allegations against Officer Brett Hankison

people.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Louisville city council unanimously pass 'Breonna's Law' to ban no-knock warrants

"This is one of many critical steps on police reform that we’ve taken to create a more peaceful, just, compassionate and equitable community," the Louisville mayor said.

www.nbcnews.com

Louisville city council unanimously pass 'Breonna's Law' to ban no-knock warrants

All 26 members of the Louisville Metro Council voted on Thursday to pass a ban on no-knock warrants, a measure known as “Breonna’s Law,” named after the former EMT who died in a police raid at her apartment.

The unanimously passed ordinance, which still needs to be approved by the mayor, bans any search warrant that does not require police to announce themselves and their purpose at the premises. It requires any Louisville Metro Police Department or Metro law enforcement to knock and wait a minimum of 15 seconds for a response.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer vowed to pass the ban as “soon as it hits my desk.”

“This is one of many critical steps on police reform that we’ve taken to create a more peaceful, just, compassionate and equitable community,” Fischer said on Twitter Thursday.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank

The "narrative" of events in the March 13 shooting says only "PIU investigation." And the rest of the report has no information filled in at all.

www.courier-journal.com

Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank

Nearly three months after Louisville Metro Police officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor in her South End apartment, the department has released the incident report from that night.

Except, it is almost entirely blank.

The four-page report lists the time, date, case number, incident location and the victim's name — Breonna Shaquelle Taylor — as well as the fact that she is a 26-year-old black female.

But it redacts Taylor's street number, apartment number and date of birth — all of which have been widely reported.

And it lists her injuries as "none," even though she was shot at least eight times and died on her hallway floor in a pool of blood, according to attorneys for her family.

It lists the charges as "death investigation — LMPD involved" but checks the "no" box under "forced entry," even though officers used a battering ram to knock in Taylor's apartment door.

It also lists under the "Offenders" portion of the report the three officers who fired in Taylor's apartment, fatally shooting her — Sgt. Jon Mattingly, 47; Myles Cosgrove, 42; and Brett Hankison, 44.

But the most important portion of the report — the "narrative" of events that spells out what happened March 13 — has only two words: "PIU investigation."

And the rest of the report has no information filled in at all.

"I read this report and have to ask the mayor, the police chief and the city's lawyers: Are you kidding? This is what you consider being transparent to taxpayers and the public?" asked Richard A. Green, editor of The Courier Journal.

 

[Howell]

Louisville city council unanimously pass 'Breonna's Law' to ban no-knock warrants

"This is one of many critical steps on police reform that we’ve taken to create a more peaceful, just, compassionate and equitable community," the Louisville mayor said.

www.nbcnews.com

Louisville city council unanimously pass 'Breonna's Law' to ban no-knock warrants

All 26 members of the Louisville Metro Council voted on Thursday to pass a ban on no-knock warrants, a measure known as “Breonna’s Law,” named after the former EMT who died in a police raid at her apartment.

The unanimously passed ordinance, which still needs to be approved by the mayor, bans any search warrant that does not require police to announce themselves and their purpose at the premises. It requires any Louisville Metro Police Department or Metro law enforcement to knock and wait a minimum of 15 seconds for a response.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer vowed to pass the ban as “soon as it hits my desk.”

“This is one of many critical steps on police reform that we’ve taken to create a more peaceful, just, compassionate and equitable community,” Fischer said on Twitter Thursday.

I haven't read the text of this measure so I could be wrong, but as described by the article, seems nothing more than a political appeasement. So if officers simply announce "Police Department! Search Warrant!" and wait a mere 15 seconds before they break the door down, that fulfills their obligation under this law. That likely would've changed nothing in this case. If one is asleep at 2AM, what would it matter if they announce and wait 15 seconds?

 

[GrandmaBear]

I haven't read the text of this measure so I could be wrong, but as described by the article, seems nothing more than a political appeasement. So if officers simply announce "Police Department! Search Warrant!" and wait a mere 15 seconds before they break the door down, that fulfills their obligation under this law. That likely would've changed nothing in this case. If one is asleep at 2AM, what would it matter if they announce and wait 15 seconds?

You may believe this or not, but I have not decided what I think about this. To me, it sounds like they were at a house they should not have been at to begin with but I am waiting to hear more on that, if we ever do. I think that may be the bigger issue here. I am also undecided on no knock warrants. If a child was in danger, say abducted, that 15 seconds could give the time for the abductor to kill the child and his/her self. I don't think there is an easy blanket answer and they have to carefully craft whatever they change to cover certain circumstances i guess is where I stand at the moment.