No Officers Have Been Charged for Breonna Taylor's Wrongful Death

Date Published: September 24, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• What Happened
• Practice Self-Care
• Take Action

WHAT HAPPENED

The Indictment

A Kentucky grand jury has indicted one of the three officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death on charges of “wanton endangerment” unrelated to her fatal shooting. The other two officers who fired shots were not charged, and no charges have been filed for Taylor’s wrongful death.

Brett Hankison, the only officer charged, faces a possible sentence of one to five years -- the same amount faced by activists charged for peacefully protesting on Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s front lawn.

FBI analysis found that Hankison wasn’t even the officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Taylor. His charge of wanton endangerment is for firing rounds that entered a neighbor’s apartment. The grand jury found the other two officers, Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly, were justified in their deadly use of force against Breonna Taylor.

The Response

Folks in Louisville and around the nation are heartbroken, disappointed, and outraged, at the cruelty of this decision, and they’re ready to fight back and keep pushing for accountability.

Anticipating this, the city of Louisville declared a state of emergency ahead of the announcement, restricting parking and barricading access to certain streets downtown. Still, protests started immediately following the announcement, as folks took to the streets to continue in their unwavering demand for justice for Taylor and her family.

A similar outpouring took place over social media starting minutes after the announcement. Celebrities, athletes, politicians, and more expressed their feelings of frustration and called for further action in Taylor’s name.

The Protests

Demonstrations were held all around the country, including in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, and Milwaukee. Thousands showed up to peacefully protest through marches, vigils, and sit-ins.

At the Louisville protests, 127 people were arrested Wednesday night after it was announced that 2 police officers had been shot during the demonstrations. Police say a suspect is in custody.

In Denver, police have detained a man who they suspect drove a vehicle into a crowd of protesters after being told to turn around. One woman was struck and sustained minor injuries.

PRACTICE SELF-CARE

Experiencing and seeing discrimination in the news can cause trauma and stress. Here are some resources for supporting your mental health.

• DoSomething’s Coping With Discrimination Guide
• BIPOC Mental Health Guide from Shine
• Our article on “Identifying Your Role and Practicing Self-Care as a Young Black Activist”
• Crisis Text Line, a 24/7 anonymous crisis hotline, all by text. Text DS to 741741.

TAKE ACTION

You can fight for justice with your voice and your vote.

• #JusticeForBre: Sign the petition to demand Louisville divest from police and invest in community solutions.
• Register to Vote: Take 2 minutes and register now -- your vote will impact police policies and funding, and crucial positions like sheriff and attorney general.
• Disrupt Racism: Learn how to start conversations about anti-racism in your community.
• Donate: Contribute to the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protesters on the ground (as well as these other funds from BLM Louisville).
• Amplify: Support the work and demands of BLM Louisville using this kit with strategy and resources.