The city of Louisville reached a $12 million settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor, lawyers for the family and the city announced Tuesday.
“Breonna Taylor’s life matters. Breonna Taylor’s life continues to matter, as you see here today,” Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell told reporters at a press conference about the settlement.
“It has been so long getting to this day, where we could ensure that Breonna Taylor’s life wouldn’t be swept under the rug, like so many other black women in America who have been killed by police,” Benjamin Crump, one of the family’s lawyers, said.
“As significant as today is, it’s only the beginning in getting full justice for Breonna,” Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, told reporters.
Palmer called investigating authorities to move forward on criminal charges against the officers involved in the shooting.
Taylor, 26, was fatally shot when police officers served a search warrant at her home in March.
Attorney’s for Taylor’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year, arguing police officers “had no probable cause or other legal basis to enter and search” her home.
Gunfire was exchanged between the officers and Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who was charged with attempted murder. The charge was later dropped.
Taylor’s case is being examined by federal, state, and local investigators.
The top FBI agent in the city told activists in July that the investigation was the bureau’s “top priority” but stressed the need to take ample time to handle such a “complex” probe.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s office is conducting a separate investigation, as is the Louisville City Council into Fischer’s handling of the case.
The three officers involved in the case were placed on administrative reassignment.
One of them, Brett Hankison, was later fired.
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the officer “displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life when you wantonly and blindly fired ten (10) rounds into the apartment of Breonna Taylor.”
Activists want the other two officers fired and all three charged.
From The Epoch Times
