Source: Leigh Vogel / Getty
Four current and former Louisville, KY police officers involved in a fatal raid on the apartment of Breonna Taylor have been charged in her death by the Feds. According to the DOJ, their crimes including lying in order to secure the warrant that was used to search her home.
BREAKING: Attorney General Merrick Garland announces that the Justice Department has charged four current and former Louisville Metro Police Department officers with federal crimes related to death of Breonna Taylor. https://t.co/MkMVdSy5iE pic.twitter.com/Dn3DYyVoB0
— ABC News (@ABC) August 4, 2022
What took so damn long?
Breonna Taylor died in March 2020 as she lay in bed after officers knocked down the door to her apartment in a raid. Her boyfriend, TK, fired on the officers, hitting on in the leg, believing it was a home invasion. The cops responded with a volley of shots, two of which killed 26-year-old Breonna Taylor as she lay in bed, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, members of Louisville Metro PD used false information when obtaining a warrant to search Taylor’s home. In other words, the warrant should have never even been issued. Breonna Taylor should be alive.
Reports the New York Times:
Mr. Garland said federal prosecutors believe that by doing so, the officers “violated federal civil rights laws, and that those violations resulted in Ms. Taylor’s death.”
Three of the officers also misled investigators who began looking into Ms. Taylor’s death, Mr. Garland said, including two that he said had met in a garage in the spring of 2020 and “agreed to tell investigators a false story.”
The killing of Ms. Taylor, who was Black, helped to set off protests in the spring and summer of 2020 following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and led to intense scrutiny of the police department in Louisville.
So police officers who are sworn to serve the public lied? No one is shocked considering, ya know, history.
Now what of Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron, the Black Republican who refused to indict the officers?
Black Twitter is going in, calling for justice in the name of Breonna Taylor over the lies of these officers that led to her untimely death. See for yourself below.
This story is developing.
"Breonna Taylor should be alive today…”
– Attorney General Merrick GarlandAccountability for her murder is long, long overdue.
Lock them all up!— Jo
(@JoJoFromJerz) August 4, 2022
Attorney General Merrick Garland announces that the US Justice Department has charged four Louisville police officers in the death of Breonna Taylor.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Black Republican Trump supporter, previously declined to charge the officers. https://t.co/rH7ptVKPXP
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) August 4, 2022
1.
BREAKING: Joshua Jaynes, Kelly Goodlett, Kyle Meany, & Brett Hankison have been charged in connection to the deadly raid that cost Breonna Taylor her life. Charges include federal civil rights offenses, unlawful conspiracies, unconstitutional use of force, & obstruction offenses. pic.twitter.com/bgrJYLNVbD
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) August 4, 2022
2.
In this moment, I'm thinking of #BreonnaTaylor's mother, Tamika Palmer. Her daughter should be alive. These charges are a firm reiteration that Breonna's life continues to matter and that police cannot be allowed to violate with impunity. #SayHerNamehttps://t.co/bibY9ofiK9
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) August 4, 2022
3.
The FBI has arrested four LMPD officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor.
Accountability is long overdue. We will never stop saying her name.
— Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) August 4, 2022
4.
AG Garland: Prosecutors allege three officers charged in Breonna Taylor case met in a garage after her death "where they agreed to tell investigators a false story."
— Julia E. Ainsley (@JuliaEAinsley) August 4, 2022
5.
Justice delayed is justice denied. But it’s never too late to do the right thing. Despite Daniel Cameron’s best efforts, accountability is finally coming for those responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death. It’s about damn time.
— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) August 4, 2022
6.
Breaking: Brett Hankison is among four LMPD officers who were arrested this morning by the FBI in relation to their role in the Breonna Taylor case. The 3 others are Joshua Jaynes, Kelly Hanna Goodlett, and Kyle Meany. There will be a DOJ presser at 11am to disclose more details
— Roberto Aram Ferdman (@robferdman) August 4, 2022
7.
MORE COMING:
LMPD officer Kelly Hanna Goodlett has been charged with conspiracy by the feds.
FBI says she tried to cover up the fact that information in the warrant for Breonna Taylor's apartment was false. @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/EY0GFtW5sD
— Travis Ragsdale (@TravisRagsdale) August 4, 2022
8.
Someone needs to be held accountable for the murder of #BreonnaTaylor These charges are the beginning of accountability. Arrest. Charge. Prosecute. https://t.co/LgBazeVdWs
— Keturah Herron (@KeturahHerron) August 4, 2022
9.
A reminder of the painstaking work @NAACP_LDF did to expose the failures of the grand jury proceedings in that case. Now the ofcrs will face federal charges.
Justice Denied: An Overview of the Grand Jury Proceedings in the Breonna Taylor Case – https://t.co/N0lQsJa8Yd
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@SIfill_) August 4, 2022
(@JoJoFromJerz)