Beyonce pens open letter to Kentucky Attorney General demanding justice for Breonna Taylor
It's been three months since three plain-clothed police officers entered 26-year-old Breonna Taylor's home unannounced -- with a "no-knock" warrant -- while Taylor and her 27-year-old boyfriend Kenneth Walker were asleep. Walker allegedly fired a shot in self-defense, thinking the officers were home intruders, and the police in turn fired at least 22 rounds, killing Taylor with at least eight, and sending shots flying into a neighbor's house where a pregnant mother was asleep with her five-year-old. According to the search warrant, police were looking for a suspected drug dealer named Jamarcus Glover, who did not live with Taylor and who it was later revealed had already been arrested elsewhere. Walker was arrested, though the charges were dropped in late May.
In the wake of the nationwide protests sparked by George Floyd's murder at the hands of Minneapolis police, thousands have been protesting and petitioning that justice for Breonna Taylor be served. "Breonna's Law," which bans no-knock warrants, was passed in Louisville, but the officers responsible for Taylor's murder -- Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and officers Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove -- still walk free, and are still employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department (but have been placed on administrative leave).
To help out in the fight for justice, Beyonce has used her platform to publish an open letter to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, urging him to do the following:
1. Bring criminal charges against Jonathan Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison.
2. Commit to transparency in the investigation and prosecution of these officers' criminal conduct.
3. Investigate the LMPD's response to Breonna Taylor's murder, as well the pervasive practices that result in the repeated deaths of unarmed Black citizens.
She adds, "Don't let this case fall into the pattern of no action after a terrible tragedy. With every death of a Black person at the hands of the police, there are two real tragedies: the death itself, and the inaction and delays that follow it. This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers. The next months cannot look like the last three."
Beyonce is also promoting the Color of Change and Stand With Breonna petitions to demand justice for Breonna Taylor.
You can read the full letter here.
Previously, Beyonce also hosted a petition on her website to demand justice for George Floyd, and Jay-Z spoke to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in May to demand justice for Floyd.
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For ways to help out in the fight against racism and police brutality, here are some resources.