THE BREONNA TAYLOR MESS

THIS CASE HAS BEEN ONE BIG FOUL-UP FROM THE BEGINNING.

CASE Q&A

1. Q: Give a synopsis of the case.
   A: Here is the synopsis:
   • Police were investigating Breonna's ex boyfriend Jamarcus Glover for receiving drugs at Breonna's apartment and then taking them elsewhere to sell them.

     Breonna had broken up with Glover in February.

   • 03/12-13/2020

     Breonna and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker were in the apartment.

   • 03/13/2020 Early AM

     Plainclothes narcotics officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove went to the apartment.

     Police knocked on the door of Breonna's apartment, then broke in when nobody answered.

     Taylor yelled "Who is it?" several times.

   • 03/13/2020 seconds later

     Walker fired once at the police.

     He later said it was a "warning shot", but a warning shot is supposed to be aimed to harm nobody.

     The shot hit Mattingly in the leg.

   • 03/13/2020 a second later

     Mattingly entered the residence and fired 6 shots

     Cosgrove fired 16 shots from the doorway

     Hankison fired 10 times through a door and window

     Taylor was hit by 6 shots and died at the scene.

     (The autopsy said she was hit by 5 shots)

   • 03/13/2020 seconds later

     Walker called 9-1-1 and said "somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend."

   • 03/13/2020 hours later

     No drugs were found in the apartment.

2. Q: Was Walker justified in shooting at the entrance to the apartment?
   A: That is debatable:
   • Walker later said it was a "warning shot".

     A warning shot is supposed to be aimed to harm nobody.

   • Walker was charged with assault and attempted murder of a police officer.

     Walker was protected by the Kentucky "stand your ground" law, so the charges were dropped.

   • Walker had no idea who was there, yet he shot at them.

     What if it had been a friend?

3. Q: Who is suing who over this event?
   A: And the lawyers come out!
   • Taylor's neighbors sued the officers because bullets entered their apartment.
   • Taylor's family sued the officers for wrongful death.
4. Q: Why weren't the officers indicted over Taylor's death?
   A: There are several factors:
   • They were looking for Glover and his drugs.
   • They did not know that Taylor and Walker were there.
   • Officers were fired on from the apartment. They have the right to return fire when fired on.
   • None of the types of homicide fit this case:
     1. First Degree Murder requires the murderer to know the victim.
     2. Second Degree Murder requires killing in the heat of anger.
     3. Third Degree Murder requires killing in the progress of another crime or fleeing the scene.
     4. First Degree Manslaughter requires a reckless act that kills.
     5. Second Degree Manslaughter requires a careless act that kills.
   • Nobody has the right to self-defense from the police. You obey the police and go to court to resolve any dispute.
5. Q: Who actually caused Breonna's death?
   A: Only one person caused this

   Kenneth Walker caused it when he fired the gun at persons unknown.

   Breonna Taylor would be alive if he had not fired that shot.