People gather in Jefferson Square awaiting word on charges against police officers, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. A grand jury has indicted one officer on criminal charges six months after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police in Kentucky. The jury presented its decision against fired officer Brett Hankison Wednesday to a judge in Louisville, where the shooting took place. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
LOUISVILLE, Ky.聽 鈥� A Kentucky grand jury brought no charges against Louisville police for the killing of Breonna Taylor during a drug raid gone wrong, with prosecutors saying Wednesday that two officers who fired their weapons at the Black woman were justified in using force to protect themselves.
The only charges brought by the grand jury were three counts of wanton endangerment against fired Officer Brett Hankison for shooting into Taylor鈥檚 neighbors鈥� homes during the raid on the night of March 13. The FBI is still investigating potential violations of federal law in the case.
Ben Crump, a lawyer for Taylor鈥檚 family, denounced the decision as 鈥渙utrageous and offensive,鈥� and protesters shouting, 鈥淣o justice, no peace!鈥� began marching through the streets. Some sat quietly and wept. Later, scuffles broke out between police and protesters, and some were arrested.
Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by officers who entered her home on a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation 鈥� although state Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Wednesday the investigation showed the officers did announce themselves.
The warrant used to search her home was connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside.
Along with the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, Taylor鈥檚 case became a major touchstone for the nationwide protests that have gripped the nation since May 鈥� drawing attention to entrenched racism and demanding police reform. Taylor鈥檚 image has been painted on streets, emblazoned on protest signs and silk-screened on T-shirts worn by celebrities.
The announcement of the charges drew immediate sadness, frustration and anger that the grand jury did not go further. The wanton endangerment charges each carry a sentence of up to five years.
鈥淛ustice has NOT been served,鈥� tweeted Linda Sarsour of Until Freedom, a group that has pushed for charges in the case.
Morgan Julianna Lee, a high school student in Charlotte, North Carolina, watched the announcement at home.
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like a slap in the face,鈥� the 15-year-old said by phone. 鈥淚f I, as a Black woman, ever need justice, I will never get it.鈥�
Right after the decision, protesters began gathering in Louisville, with some preparing food and others bringing cases of water to 鈥淚njustice Square,鈥� the park where people have demanded justice for Taylor.
While the rallies were largely peaceful, police in protective gear and batons mobilized in downtown, and some scuffles broke out, and officers could be seen handcuffing some people. Police also ordered a group that broke off from the protests to disperse, warning that chemical agents might be used if they didn鈥檛.
Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, said he authorized a limited deployment of the National Guard. An Associated Press reporter saw guard members and armored military vehicles in downtown Louisville.
Beshear also urged Cameron, the state attorney general, to post online all the evidence that could be released without affecting the charges filed.
鈥淭hose that are currently feeling frustration, feeling hurt, they deserve to know more,鈥� he said.
The case exposed the wide gulf between public opinion on justice for those who kill Black Americans, and the laws under which those officers are charged, which regularly favor working police and do not often result in steep criminal accusations.
At a news conference, Cameron spoke to that disconnect.
鈥淐riminal law is not meant to respond to every sorrow and grief,鈥� he told reporters after the charges were announced.
鈥淏ut my heart breaks for the loss of Miss Taylor. And I鈥檝e said that repeatedly. My mother, if something was to happen to me, would find it very hard,鈥� he added, choking up.
But Cameron, who is the state鈥檚 first Black attorney general, said the officers acted in self-defense after Taylor鈥檚 boyfriend fired at them. He added that Hankison and the two other officers who entered Taylor鈥檚 apartment did not execute the warrant as 鈥渘o-knock,鈥� according to the investigation. The use of no-knock warrants has since been banned by Louisville鈥檚 Metro Council.
鈥淎ccording to Kentucky law, the use of force by (Officers Jonathan) Mattingly and (Myles) Cosgrove was justified to protect themselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his justification bars us from pursuing criminal charges in Miss Breonna Taylor鈥檚 death.鈥�
Cameron said an FBI crime lab determined that Cosgrove fired the bullet that killed Taylor.
Taylor鈥檚 boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire when police burst in, hitting Mattingly. Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, but prosecutors later dropped the charge.
Walker told police he heard knocking but didn鈥檛 know who was coming into the home and fired in self-defense.
Cameron, who is a Republican, is a prot茅g茅 of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who has been tagged by some as his heir apparent. His was also one of 20 names on President Donald Trump鈥檚 list to fill a future Supreme Court vacancy.
Asked about the decision, Trump said he hadn鈥檛 had time to consider it and would comment when he had. He added: 鈥淢y message is that I love the Black community, and that I鈥檝e done more for the Black community than any other president, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln.鈥�
Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, told reporters that she also hadn鈥檛 fully read the decision.
鈥淏ut there鈥檚 no question that Breonna Taylor and her family deserved justice yesterday, today and tomorrow so I鈥檒l review it,鈥� she said.
Before charges were brought, Hankison was fired from the city鈥檚 police department on June 23. A termination letter sent to him by interim Louisville Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the white officer had violated procedures by showing 鈥渆xtreme indifference to the value of human life鈥� when he 鈥渨antonly and blindly鈥� fired his weapon.
Hankison had previously been placed on administrative reassignment, as were Mattingly, Cosgrove and the detective who sought the warrant, Joshua Jaynes.
On Sept. 15, the city settled a lawsuit against the three officers brought by Taylor鈥檚 mother, Tamika Palmer, agreeing to pay her $12 million and enact police reforms.
Protesters in Louisville and across the country have demanded justice for Taylor and other Black people killed by police in recent months. Several prominent African American celebrities including Oprah and Beyonc茅 have joined those urging that the officers be charged.