Breonna Taylor

Breonna Taylor should have turned 27 years old on June 5th, 2020. Instead, on March 13th, 2020, the Louisville Police Department performed an illegal, unannounced drug raid on her home. The police officers were at the wrong address, dressed in plain-clothes, AND were searching for someone who had been taken into police custody earlier that day. Breonna’s boyfriend, a registered gun-owner, fired at this group of armed, plain clothed, unannounced intruders. The police officers fired back with dozens of shots, hitting Breonna eight times as she slept, taking her life.More 4 months later, the police officers involved have not been arrested or charged.

1) Sign the Justice For Breonna Petition at Change.Org

Here is what the "Justice for Breonna Taylor" petition calls for:

a. Charges must be filed immediately. Arrests of the officers involved, specifically John Mattingly, Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove, and any other officer involved in the death and coverup of the death of Breonna Taylor must be made NOW. There have been no charges thus far (it has been over 4 months). This is unacceptable.

b. Her family must be paid in damages for wrongful death and the negligence of the LMPD.

c. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear must speak up on behalf of Breonna, and Governor Beshear or Attorney General Daniel Cameron must appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Louisville Police Department immediately. An in-house investigation is unacceptable. d. The "no-knock" warrant that police had used in Breonna's murder completely violates the constitutional rights to reasonable search and seizure. By law, police must be legally obligated to announce themselves before breaking and entering into a home privately owned by American civilians. Legislation to federally ban no-knock warrants must be passed in Congress and signed by the President; what happened to Breonna was a complete violation of her constitutional rights, and threatens the rights of all American citizens. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has voiced similar concerns. A special session must be intervened by Congress to discuss the constitutionality of no-knock warrants immediately.

2) Send letters to the Louisville mayor and the Kentucky Attorney General

a. Letters should be addressed as follows:

Office of the Attorney General

700 Capital Avenue, Suite 118

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-3449

Mayor Greg Fischer

527 W Jefferson Street #600

Louisville KY 40202

4) Email the Kentucky Attorney General and Louisville mayor at attorney.general@ag.ky.gov and greg.fischer@louisvilleky.gov.

a. If you aren't sure of exactly what to say, please find a pre-scripted email here.

5) Donate to Breonna’s Family

6) Donate to the Louisville Bail Fund

a. The Louisville Community Bail Fund serves protestors on the ground in Louisville as they fight for justice for Breonna Taylor and to bring about an end to police brutality and systemic racism

7) Text ENOUGH to 55156.

8) Flood social media with #JusticeForBreonna and #SayHerName to bring awareness to the fight for Breonna and all women who have experienced police violence

To better understand the nuance of police violence against Black women, please watch:

The Urgency of Intersectionality, by Kimberle Crenshaw