Louisville police officers under investigation in Breonna Taylor shooting death
The Louisville police department told its officers to prepare for the grand jury decision in Taylor's death
Six police officers are now under investigation for the shooting death of Breonna Taylor it was announced Monday.
Jessie Halladay, a spokesperson for the LMPD, confirmed that the department’s Professional Standards Unit was spearheading the matter, the Courier-Journal reported. Detective Myles Cosgrove, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Tony James, Michael Campbell, Joshua Jaynes, and Michael Nobles are the officers under review. They could face termination if found to have violated department policy.
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“Due to state law, investigators are prevented from crucial aspects of the investigation until the criminal case is complete,” she said.
Furthermore, the LMPD told its Special Response Team to start preparing for a decision, WAVE 3 reported Monday. The outlet also obtained a memo that told officers that all requests for time off have been canceled effective immediately.
“Effective immediately, all off-days are hereby canceled and vacation requests that have not already been submitted and approved are canceled until further notice,” an LMPD statement addressed to all personnel read in part.
Taylor’s death in March after a botched no-knock raid has made Louisville, Kentucky one of the focal points in the fight against police brutality. Taylor was shot on March 13, when three Louisville Metro Police Department officers entered her home to execute the warrant. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep at the time. They thought it was a home invasion and Walker exchanged fire with police, hitting Mattingly in the leg. Taylor was struck eight times and died almost immediately.
Hankison shot “blindly,” 10 times during the incident and was fired in June. Cosgrove and Mattingly are on administrative leave, in addition to the officer who applied for the warrant.
A grand jury was convened in early September, more than six months after Taylor’s death. Attorney General Daniel Cameron said then that any further information about the case would come directly from him.
“An investigation, if done properly, cannot follow a specific timeline,” he tweeted a statement.
“When the investigation concludes and a decision is made, we will provide an update about an announcement. The news will come from our office and not unnamed sources. Until that time, the investigation is ongoing.”
As theGrio reported, a $12M settlement struck between the city of Louisville and Taylor’s estate includes “significant” police reforms, new drug testing rules for LMPD officers, and an incentive for officers to live in specific neighborhoods. There will also be a requirement that search warrants be approved by commanding officers.
Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, wants the officers who shot her daughter to face charges as well.
“It is time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more,” Palmer said.
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