Four Police Officers Have Been Federally Charged in Breonna Taylor's Death
Four officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor have been federally charged, announced Attorney General Merrick Garland at a press conference on Thursday, August 4. Until now, no federal charges had been brought since Taylor was killed on March 13, 2020. Taylor, a 26-year-old medical worker, was asleep in her Louisville, KY, home with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when several police officers forcibly entered. Walker, saying he believed them to be intruders, fired a shot and hit one of the officers in the leg. The officers responded by firing 32 shots, six of which hit Taylor.
"The Justice Department has charged four current and former Louisville Metro Police Department officers with federal crimes related to Ms. Taylor's death," Garland said today. "Those alleged crimes include civil rights offenses, unlawful conspiracies, unconstitutional use of force, and obstruction offenses." Garland stated that officers Joshua Jaynes, Kelly Goodlett, and Kyle Meany were charged with "falsification of a search warrant" to enter Taylor's home. Allegedly, they submitted this warrant request "knowing that [they] lacked probable cause for the search" and that "their actions in falsifying the affidavit could create a dangerous situation." Additionally, Garland said that officer Brett Hankison, who was on site when Taylor was killed and fired multiple shots, "has been charged with two civil rights offenses alleging that he willfully used unconstitutionally excessive force."
Until now, no federal charges had been brought since Taylor was killed on March 13, 2020. Taylor, a 26-year-old medical worker, was asleep in her Louisville home with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when several police officers forcibly entered. Walker, saying he believed them to be intruders, fired a shot and hit one of the officers in the leg. The officers responded by firing 32 shots, six of which hit Taylor.
In 2020, when news of Taylor's death hit—particularly the news that no lawful action was being taken—Oprah decided something needed to be done. Rather than gracing the next cover of O, The Oprah Magazine, as Lady O had done every month for the previous two decades, she gave the cover to Taylor. The September 2020 issue featured a portrait of Taylor created by then-24-year-old artist Alexis Franklin.
That wasn't enough, though. Oprah spoke with Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, and wrote about it in the September 2020 issue, saying "What I know for sure: We can’t be silent." And silent she was not—timed with the release of the cover, Oprah and the magazine's team plastered the cover across 26 billboards in Louisville. Representing the number of years she lived, each billboard featured the cover image and a call to action: "Demand that the police involved in killing Breonna Taylor be arrested and charged. Visit UntilFreedom.com." Each also included a poignant quote from Oprah: "If you turn a blind eye to racism, you become an accomplice to it."
Finally, two years later, Oprah's wish is complete. In 2020, she wrote, "I cry for justice in her name." Now, some justice is finally being served—but nevertheless, we must continue saying Breonna Taylor's name.
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