Taylor’s family still demanding answers from Kentucky AG
Family assails Kentucky AG over case’s handling
Members of Breonna Taylor’s family and their attorneys on Friday called on Kentucky’s attorney general to release the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that led to the decision not to indict any officer in her fatal shooting in March.
The news conference came after a hectic night for Louisville. Police arrested at least two dozen protesters Thursday night.
Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, said she knew Attorney General Daniel Cameron would “never do his job,” in a statement read Friday by Bianca Austin, Taylor’s aunt.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Members of Breonna Taylor’s family and their attorneys on Friday called on Kentucky’s attorney general to release the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that led to the decision not to indict any officer in her fatal shooting in March.
The news conference came after police arrested at least two dozen protesters Thursday night.
Ben Crump, one of the attorneys for the family, questioned what evidence Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron presented to the jury. He spoke Friday at Jefferson Square Park, the epicenter of protests, in the family’s first news conference since the decision was announced.
Crump called the decision part of a “pattern of the blatant disrespect and marginalization of Black people, but especially Black women.”
“There seems to be two justice systems in America: One for Black America, and one for white America,” Crump said, before leading the crowd in chants of “release the transcripts.”
Lonita Baker, another attorney for the family, demanded that Cameron reveal whether he presented any charges against the officers who shot Taylor to the grand jury.
“You can’t pawn this off on the grand jury if your office made that decision,” Baker said. “Don’t tell us that the grand jury made this determination if it was truly your determination.”
The grand jury on Wednesday indicted former Louisville officer Brett Hankison on wanton endangerment charges for shooting into the neighboring apartment.
Cameron refused to tell reporters Wednesday whether he recommended that grand jurors exonerate all three police officers on homicide charges, citing the secrecy of grand jury proceedings.
Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, said she knew Cameron would “never do his job,” in a statement read Friday by Bianca Austin, Taylor’s aunt.
“I was reassured Wednesday of why I have no faith in the legal system, in the police, in the law,” Palmer’s statement said. “They are not made to protect us
Black and brown people.”
On Thursday night, Louisville police in riot gear barricaded roads as the crowd marched past a nighttime curfew.
Officers blocked the exits of a church where protesters gathered to avoid arrest for violating the curfew.
Several people were detained, including state Rep. Attica Scott, a Louisville Democrat. Scott unveiled legislation recently that would ban the use of no-knock search warrants in Kentucky. The measure is called Breonna’s Law in honor of Taylor.
Police pulled back late Thursday after negotiating with demonstrators to end the protest.