One cop charged with violence in the Breonna Taylor case, protest in Louisville

One agent has been charged in the case of American Breonna Taylor (26) who was shot dead. Police shot the black woman six months ago at her home in Louisville, Kentucky. That sparked a wave of protest in the United States.

The investigating jury decided that white agent Brett Hankison, who was fired in June, should be prosecuted on three charges for malicious threats, but not for Taylor’s death. The decision has been submitted to a judge in Louisville.

Police entered Taylor’s home without warning in March in an investigation into drugs. The woman, who was in bed with her boyfriend, was hit by six bullets. That number was announced tonight. One of them killed her. Police opened fire after a shot from her partner, who thought it was broken into. No drugs were found in the apartment.

Protesters across the country demanded justice for her death and that of other blacks who have been killed by police brutality in recent times. Taylor’s family has received damages of about 10 million euros.

Facts and evidence

The attorney general said at a press conference that the investigation revealed that two other agents were entitled to use force. Hankison has been charged with shooting in neighboring apartments, but not for his role in Taylor’s death. He can get up to five years in prison for all three charges.

The shooting in itself was justified, the attorney general said. He added that facts and evidence should be judged and not whether Taylor’s death was a tragic event. That is beyond dispute for him. The FBI is still investigating whether federal laws have been violated.

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