The mayor of Louisville has declared a state of emergency as people around the country – and world – await to hear what charges officers responsible for the murder of unarmed Black woman Breonna Taylor will receive.
Breonna Taylor Case Decision Sparks State Of Emergency
Louisville’s Mayor Greg Fischer decided on the declaration hours after the local police department called for a state of emergency on Monday. This huge decision will reportedly allow Fischer to exercise emergency powers including curfews, restrictions and hired services.
Fischer also announced Tuesday an executive order restricting access to five downtown parking garages and banning on-street parking in order to “provide an extra layer of security for protests in and around Jefferson Square Park.” (WLKY News)
Louisville Metro Police Department
Earlier in the week, Louisville police issued a statement on restrictions and downtown protocols.
The mayor’s announcement comes on the heels of the Louisville Metro Police Department saying that “a decision was made to accelerate plans” to restrict access to several parts of downtown. (NPR)
The Inevitable Decision
According to reports, the current investigation by the attorney general has only generated more protests for justice in the memory of Taylor. However, some legal experts are unsure if the cops responsible for her death will get charged.
Legal experts have said that whether the officers will be charged is unclear but may be unlikely given the protection that is offered to police. Self-defense laws in most states, including Kentucky, allow a person to use deadly force against an intruder in their home. But in Kentucky that protection does not allow a person to harm police officers if the person knows or can reasonably assume police have entered their home. (The Guardian)
The Breonna Taylor Settlement
Last week, the city of Louisville made a multi-million dollar settlement with Taylor’s family and included police reforms in the agreement. However, one of the cops involved in the March 2020 shooting spoke out in disgust of the deal.
Meanwhile, an officer who was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend the night police entered her apartment wrote an email to fellow officers telling them that with their actions, Mr Fischer and top police officials had “failed all of us in epic proportions.” In the email, published by news outlets Tuesday and confirmed by his attorney, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly wrote, “I know we did the legal, moral and ethical thing that night.” (The Independent)
