The Police who killed Breonna Taylor are not charged by Grand Jury

The police who killed Breonna Taylor are not charged by grand jury

Brendan O’Boyle

Staff Writer


The court has reached a decision about the police officers that shot and killed Breonna Taylor and the world is outraged. A Kentucky grand jury found none of the police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death; however, one officer will be tried on charges unrelated to her murder. Brett Hankison, one of the three officers involved with Breonna’s murder, was the only one indicted.

Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment and was earlier terminated from the force for alleged “extreme indifference to the value of human life.” This is a lesser felony charge of the first degree, and he was not charged with killing Breonna Taylor even though much of the world believes that all three of the officers involved should be. Hankison has already been released from Shelby County detention center as of Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 23, after being arrested only a half an hour earlier. His attorney declined answering questions after his release. Hankison’s bail was apparently set for $15,000.

Breonna Taylor was killed after three police officers entered her flat in Louisville using a no-knock warrant for a drug search on March 13, 2020. When the police entered the apartment, Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire because he believed that it was a home invasion. Breonna was caught in the crossfire as police returned fire at Walker.

Breonna Taylor’s story has been one of the grievances aired at many of the recent protests across the country, centered around police brutality. Many have already spoken out about how disappointed they are in the findings of the grand jury and how they feel like the legal system has failed not only Breonna, but African American women everywhere.

The quote “She deserved better” is now appearing on signs held by protesters and on the social media accounts of many Americans in hopes that people will help contribute to the cause. Athletes have also started wearing shirts with six bullet holes on the back of it in honor of Breonna Taylor. This is because during the incident where the officers fired a total of 20 bullets, Breonna was hit six times. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was the reason that the information about the grandy jury is available to the public. He felt that people should be able to make up their own minds and said that “The public deserves this information.”