Breonna Taylor was sleeping in her residence when she was shot to demise by the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) throughout a botched drug raid within the U.S. state of Kentucky, on March 13, 2020.
The LMPD mentioned they introduced their presence, however Taylor’s boyfriend claimed he didn’t hear them knock and fired a warning shot together with his gun. Officers returned fireplace with 32 gunshots, six of them placing and killing Taylor.
The three officers – Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly – had been acquitted, with Hankison being fired from the police pressure for blindly firing into the residence.
Taylor’s household obtained a $12 million wrongful demise settlement despite the fact that town didn’t make an admission of wrongdoing.
“Breonna Taylor’s case is a case study on bad policing,” mentioned Ron Jackson, a political activist and radio speak present host in Houston, Texas.
In an e-mail interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Jackson identified that simply final week a U.S. Department of Justice investigation discovered that the LMPD discriminates in opposition to Black folks, together with utilizing unjustified neck restraints, conducting searches primarily based on invalid warrants and executing search warrants with out knocking and asserting.
“Black citizens were disrespected by officers and even called ‘monkeys’ and ‘boys’!” mentioned Jackson, including he’s not stunned the LMPD officers weren’t charged.
“Officers not being charged in Breonna’s case is common practice,” he mentioned. “Police officers hide behind their shields with laws from their police unions as well as ‘qualified immunity’ – a legal principle for government officials in certain discretionary functions that limits victims from holding officers accountable.”
“Police officers also have the ‘go-to playbook’ of ‘I was in fear of my life, that’s why I shot him,'” Jackson continued.
Over the previous decade, there have been quite a few killings of Black folks within the U.S. by the hands of police.
Eric Garner – July 17, 2014
Eric Garner uttered the phrases “I can’t breathe” 11 instances as NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo pinned him to the bottom in New York City on suspicion of illegally promoting cigarettes.
Garner’s demise was dominated a murder, however a grand jury determined to not prosecute Pantaleo, who was later fired by the NYPD. Garner’s household obtained a $5.9 million out-of-court settlement.
Tamir Rice – Nov. 22, 2014
12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by Cleveland, Ohio police officer Timothy Loehmann after reviews that Rice was wielding a gun, which turned out to be a toy.
A grand jury declined to indict Loehmann totally on the idea that Rice drew his gun and pointed it at police. Rice’s household obtained a $6 million settlement from town of Cleveland.
Eric Harris – April 2, 2015
Eric Harris was unarmed and on the bottom when he was shot within the again and killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma by 73-year-old Reserve Deputy Robert Charles Bates, who mentioned he confused his gun for a taser and mentioned after the taking pictures “Oh, I shot him! I’m sorry.”
Bates was discovered responsible of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 4 years in jail.
Freddie Gray – April 12, 2015
Freddie Gray was arrested in Baltimore, Maryland for possession of a knife, however 45 minutes after he was transported in a van to the police station, he was discovered unconscious and never respiration, his spinal wire virtually severed. He died seven days later whereas in a coma. The health worker’s workplace dominated Gray’s demise a murder, however the six officers charged weren’t convicted. Gray’s household obtained a $6.4 million wrongful demise lawsuit settlement.
“It is disturbing in some cases where an officer can be convicted and acquitted of the same crime,” mentioned Jackson. “An officer can be innocent of criminal charges and guilty of civil charges.”
Alton Sterling – July 5, 2016
Alton Sterling was shot and killed by two Baton Rouge, Louisiana law enforcement officials who declare Sterling reached for a loaded handgun in his pocket whereas they had been making an attempt to subdue him. Neither of the officers had been charged in his demise, however the metropolis of Baton Rouge settled a $4.5 million wrongful demise lawsuit with Sterling’s household.
Philando Castile – July 6, 2016
Philando Castile was fatally shot throughout a visitors cease in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota by police officer Jeronimo Yanez after Castile advised him he had a license to hold a weapon and reached for his pocket. Yanez was acquitted of second-degree manslaughter costs and fired by the City of St. Anthony Police Department. Castile’s household obtained a $3.8 million wrongful demise settlement.
Botham Jean – Sept. 6, 2018
Botham Jean was fatally shot in his Dallas, Texas residence after off-duty police officer Amber Guyger entered his residence, saying she thought she was in her place and shot Jean, believing him to be a burglar. Guyger was discovered responsible of homicide and sentenced to 10 years in jail.
“When I look at the list of Black people killed by police, the first thing that comes to mind is Black lives STILL don’t matter!” mentioned Jackson. “The police system in America has a history of racism.”
George Floyd – May 25, 2020
George Floyd was subdued with a knee to the neck for 9 minutes by Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin, who was discovered responsible of homicide and sentenced to 22 years in jail. Three different officers concerned in Floyd’s demise – J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane – had been convicted in federal courtroom of violating Floyd’s civil rights and are all serving jail sentences. Floyd’s household settled a $27 million wrongful demise lawsuit with town of Minneapolis.
Daunte Wright – April 11, 2021
Daunte Wright was shot and killed by Brooklyn Center, Minnesota police officer Kim Potter throughout a visitors cease, during which Potter claims she unintentionally shot Wright, believing she was utilizing her taser as an alternative of her handgun. Potter was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Tyre Nichols – Jan. 10, 2023
Tyre Nichols was pulled over for suspected reckless driving on Jan. 7 by 5 Memphis, Tennessee law enforcement officials who savagely beat him — kicking, punching, hitting him with a baton and pepper spraying him. Nichols died of his accidents three days later. The 5 officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr. – had been charged with second-degree homicide and await trial.
All 5 officers had been Black, which Jackson mentioned provides the ingredient of police brutality to a system already wrought with racism.
“The Tyre Nichols case exposes the police officers’ mentality issue,” he defined. “Policing as well as other professions’ sense of power many times go unchecked. Many police officers embody the philosophy of ‘I am the law!'”
Source: www.dailysabah.com
