THE POLCE MURDER OF BREONNA TAYLOR

 THE POLICE MURDER OF BREONNA TAYLOR

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Introduction

  Breonna Taylor, age 26, was an African-American medical

worker who was killed March 13, 2020 after police officers from

LMPD forced entry into her home. Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth

Walker, fired a "warning shot" mistaking police for INTRUDERS.

After Walker fired one round in the direction of officers, in

response, the officers returned 32 rounds. Taylor's family, some

three years later, was paid $12 million by the state of Kentucky.

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THE KILLING OF BREONNA TAYLOR

   The killing of Taylor by all white officers, and the initial lack

of charges, against the officers, sparked protests locally and

nationwide. Protests revolved around police brutality and 

corruption. Civil unrest was made worse by when a grand jury

failed to return any indictments.

   Eventually, police argued they were justified because

Walker "fired first." On August 23,2023, Kelly Goodeth, who 

was not present the day of the raid, pled guilty to charges 

related to lying to obtain a search warrant. On November 1,

2024, Brett Hankinson was found guilty of depriving Taylor of

her civil rights by using excessive force.

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OVERVIEW

   On March 20, 2020, Breonna Taylor, a 25-year-old emergency

room worker, was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police

Department at her apartment where at least seven police

officers forced entry into the apartment. The officers were

wearing plain clothes while executing a "no knock warrant."

  The LMPD officers had stated that they announced themselves

before entry into Taylor's home. Walker, who was Taylor's

boyfriend, claimed her never heard officers announce themselves;

why he thought they were intruders. After firing warning shot

in the direction Walker thought there were intruders, the police

returned fire 32 separate times. While Walker was not struck by

any gunfire, Breonna Taylor, who was standing behind Walker,

was fatally shot 6 times by LMPD; causing her to lose her life.

During the raid/incidence, where officers had forced entry,

LMPD officer Brett Hankinson was outside of the residence, shot

10 times into a covered window in Taylor's apartment. Taylor's

residence was NEVER SEARCHED.

   Initially, Kenneth Walker was tried for attempted murder on

police officers. One year later, the case against him was

dismissed altogether. In June 2020, LMPD fired Hankinson

for blindly firing through Taylor's covered patio window into

residence. In September of the same year, the city of Louisville

agreed to pay the family of Breonna Taylor a total of $12 million.

  On August 4, 2023, Merrick Garland, US Attorney General, 

announced DOJ was charging Hankinson with unconstitutional 

use of force that violated Taylor's civil rights ended in a conviction

of November 4, 2024.

   Additionally, aside from officers present during the RAID, there

were three other LMPD officers were fired for the role that they

played in falsifying paperwork in order to get a search warrant.

Kelly Meaney, Joshua Johnson, and Kelly Goodlett were all three

arrested and charged by LMPD for the role they played in

conspiracy to falsely obtain a search warrant from Magistrate

Judge.