UPDATE: In his press conference following the grand jury decision, Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron reported that the officers who showed up at Taylor's door in March "both knocked and announced their arrival at the apartment." In conclusion, he said, "the warrant was not served as a no knock warrant." When they couldn't get anyone to open the door, the decision was made to breach the door. While officer Brett Hankison was indicted, Cameron explained that, according to Kentucky law, the use of force by Officers Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove were justified because they were returning fire.
"I know that not everyone will be satisfied" with the decision today, Cameron acknowledged.
The AG added that there will be celebrities and activists who don't even live in Louisville who will "try to tell us how to feel." He urged residents to rejects those attempts.
ORIGINAL POST
Six months after the Louisville police-involved death of Breonna Taylor, a grand jury has indicted fired officer Brett Hankison on criminal charges. Those charges include three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is expected to offer details at an upcoming press conference on Wednesday following an internal investigation of six Louisville Metro Police officers.
Expecting violent fallout following the decision, the Louisville police chief declared a state of emergency and canceled vacations to set up barricades throughout the city before Cameron even stepped to the mic.
“To ensure we have the appropriate level of staffing to provide for public safety services and our policing functions, effective immediately the LMPD will operate under the emergency staffing and reporting guidelines as outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Response Plan, and collective bargaining agreements until further notice,” Acting Police Chief Robert Schroeder said in a memo.
The 26-year-old Taylor was killed in her sleep on March 13 when the Louisville Police Department obtained a "no-knock warrant" as part of their investigation into a suspected drug operation linked to Taylor's ex-boyfriend. It wasn't until Taylor's family filed a lawsuit, and more details came out about the case that riots and protests began to erupt.
Earlier this month, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced that a $12 million settlement had been reached with the estate of Breonna Taylor, the largest ever payout by the city for police misconduct. In unprecedented fashion, the deal also included a pledge to enforce new police reforms.
Taylor family attorney Lonita Parker said at the time that she and her clients knew a grand jury indictment was coming.
Townhall's Julio Rosas is in downtown Louisville capturing the reaction on the ground.
On the ground in Louisville, Ky. for @townhallcom and the protesting crowd just heard the charges the grand jury announced for the Breonna Taylor case. They are not happy at all, some people are crying. pic.twitter.com/DwGcYKyha4
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) September 23, 2020
Editor's Note: This post has been updated with additional information.