Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend files suit
Walker claims police misconduct in shooting
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend has filed a lawsuit saying he is a victim of police misconduct and seeking immunity from prosecution for firing a single shot that wounded a Louisville officer the night police broke into Taylor’s apartment and killed her.
The attorney for Kenneth “Kenny” Walker also says evidence indicates his client didn’t fire the bullet that nearly severed the officer’s femoral artery.
“We know police are firing wildly from various angles,” attorney Steve Romines told The Louisville Courier Journal of the USA TODAY Network.
“The timeline and evidence at the scene is more indicative of (police) actually shooting Mattingly than it is Kenny Walker.”
Walker, 28, is seeking unspecified monetary damages from the city and Louisville Metro Police for assault, battery, false arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution, abuse of process and negligence stemming from the night of the shooting, according to the civil complaint filed in Jefferson County District Court Tuesday.
“Kenny continues to reel from the death of the love of his life, but he is also the victim and survivor of police misconduct – misconduct that threatens his freedom to this day,” the complaint said.
Walker is being represented by Romines, a Louisville civil rights attorney who also represents David McAtee, who was shot dead by the Kentucky National Guard in the doorway of his barbecue business June 1.
In the complaint, Romines says Walker was interrogated by police under false pretenses the night of the shooting – and then wrongfully and illegally arrested, detained, charged and prosecuted. After police used a battering ram to enter Taylor’s apartment while serving a search warrant, Walker fired what he said was a “warning” shot.
Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly was struck in the femoral artery in his thigh.
Mattingly, along with detective Myles Cosgrove and now-fired detective Brett Hankison, returned fire, killing Taylor.
However, Romines told The Courier Journal on Tuesday that he doesn’t believe Walker shot Mattingly.
Based on crime scene photographs and other evidence he has obtained through discovery, Romines said police likely fired 40 to 45 bullets into Taylor’s apartment in two “flurries” or waves of shootings.
“The radio transmission and the 911 calls reflect that a minute and eight seconds transpires with no shots before they start shooting into the apartment again,” Romines said.
“During that time, Hankison yells ‘reload,’” Romines said, adding that the initial 911 call comes from a neighbor while gunfire is going off.
More than a minute elapses before anyone says “officer shot,” he said.
“We know police are firing wildly from various angles,” Romines said.
“The timeline and evidence at the scene is more indicative of (police) actually shooting Mattingly than it is Kenny Walker.”
Photographs of Walker’s round that was recovered didn’t show any indication it touched blood, Romines said.
The lawsuit names Mayor Greg Fischer, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine and Louisville Metro Police Chief Rob Schroeder.
Allso named in the lawsuit are former Chief Steve Conrad, the Louisville Area Governmental Self-Insurance Trust, 13 police officers as well as unnamed officers.
Romines, Walker’s attorney, is seeking an immediate judgment for Walker’s immunity under Kentucky’s “stand your ground” law, which prevents police or state officials from prosecuting anyone who acts in self-defense.