Love in Action : Breonna Taylor
Love in Action : Week 1
Love in Action : Wednesday 7/22/20 • 12-1pm mst
Please join Lead with Love for zoom work session each week that highlights current issues related to justice, freedom and climate change that need of our help. We will provide tangible actions and perform these efforts within the 1 hour meeting.
This week our efforts will focus on justice for Breonna Taylor.
We believe it is not only important to acknowledge systemic racism in our country but also critical to take actions in support of equal rights and justice for everyone. Our country’s foundation in slavery has developed into a system that still affords more rights, protections and opportunities to white people than black, indigenous and people of color. We see our system of policing and justice as an area where black rights are particularly at risk.
Toolkit
Pen/Pencil
Paper/Journal
Computer with Email/Wifi
Phone
About Breonna Taylor
Breonna Taylor, of Louisville Kentucky, was a 26 year who was shot fatally by police officers in her apartment during a no-knock search warrant. She wasn’t the suspect in this drug case. She was in bed at the time of the shooting.
Breonna Taylor was a Black EMT and ER Technician who had hopes of becoming a nurse. She was proud and grateful for her career and she had a natural impulse to help people. At the time when she was killed, she was working as an essential health care worker during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some background…
A little after 12:30am, on 3/13/20, 3 plainclothes officers, Brett Hankison, Jon Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove, executed a no-knock search warrant at Breonna Taylor’s apartment. The search warrant, signed by Judge Mary Shaw, was submitted by detective Joshua Jaynes who believed Breonna Taylor was receiving suspicious packages for suspected drug dealer, Jamarcus Glover. Jamarcus Glover was already in custody at the time that the search warrant was executed.
While the officers claim that they announced themselves prior to entry, Kenneth Walker and up to 16 witnesses from the apartment complex refute the assertion. They entered the apartment with a force that blew the door off of its hinges. The cops were not SWOT trained despite executing such a tactical mission. Kenneth Walker asserts he believed the home was being hostilely broken into which appears to be corroborated because he placed a call to 911 to report the invasion. Walker discharged his firearm as a warning and struck one of the officers, Mattingly, in the leg (he is expected to make a full reovery). The officers fired over 20 rounds into the apartment from the doorway and from outside of the apartment without line of sight. 8 shots hit and killed Breonna Taylor as she laid in her bed. Miraculously no one else was killed or injured as many of these bullets shot through the walls into adjacent apartments.
No illegal substances were found in the apartment. Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder of a police officer. The charges were later dismissed.
It took 110 days and public protests for any action to be taken on this case. Since then Brett Hankison has been fired and Mattingly, Cosgrove and Jaynes have been reassigned. No officers have been arrested.
The FBI, The Metro Council and the Attorney General are all currently conducting investigations.
Key figures
Breonna
taylor
Brett
Hankison
kenneth
walker
Jon
Mattingly
jamarcus
glover
Myles
Cosgrove
Adrian
Walker
joshua
Jaynes
Greg
fisher
Mary
Shaw
Daniel
Cameron
Issues Arising from this Case
Gun Laws
Drug Crime Reform
Excessive Force
No-Knock Warrants
Protest Pressure
Justice for Breonna
Breonna’s Law
Louisville metro council passed legislation banning no-knock warrants. It also requires officers to wear active body cameras before during and after all procedures included in search warrants. Mayor Greg Fischer passed the law immediately. There is now a movement to pass this law statewide.
#sayhername
Breonna’s mother, Tamika Palmer, calls for people to demand justice by “saying her name.”
Charging Officers
Many people and organizations are calling for the arrests of the involved officers.
Action List
Call
Andy Beshear, Governor : 502.564.2611
Will be redirected to Governor line (may be a long wait time)
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. Please continue to use your position of power to help your state heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Daniel Cameron, Attorney General : 502.696.5300
Extension 1 to leave message
I am calling in regards to the case involving Breonna Taylor, to request you address the use of force by Jon Mattingly, Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove and charge them accordingly. I am also requesting a thorough and transparent investigation into the boiler plate search warrants submitted by Joshua Jaynes, and to charge him accordingly for his involvement. These officers and detectives were involved in the murder of an innocent citizen and a jury should have the opportunity to determine if they are guilty of a crime. The system should not protect cops from the ability of facing trial. Please help provide justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Greg Fischer, Mayor : 502.574.2003
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand transparency, truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. Please continue to use your position of power to help your city heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
You may also:
Request Mayor Fischer fire and revoke pensions for officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor
Request Mayor Fischer address the use of force by LMPD.
Robert Schroeder, Interim Deputy Chief : 502.574.7660
Ask to speak with Robert Schroeder, leave message with individual or recording.
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. We agree that the use of force against Breonna Taylor was alarming and it requires a transparent investigation. Please continue to use your position of power to help your state heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
John Yarmuth, Congressman : 202.225.5401
Leave message
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. Please continue to use your position of power to help your state heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Louisville Metro Council : 502.574.3902
Press “1” and leave message
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand transparency, truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. Please continue to use your position of power to investigate the decision makers in this case, help your city heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Email:
Demand that the officers and detective are charged
Subject: Justice for Breonna Taylor
I am emailing to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. Please continue to use your position of power to help your state heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Daniel Cameron, Attorney General
Subject: Justice for Breonna Taylor
I am emailing in regards to the case involving Breonna Taylor, to request you address the use of force by Jon Mattingly, Brett Hankison, Myles Cosgrove and charge them accordingly. I am also requesting a thorough and transparent investigation into the boiler plate search warrants submitted by Joshua Jaynes, and to charge him accordingly for his involvement. These officers and detectives were involved in the murder of an innocent citizen and a jury should have the opportunity to determine if they are guilty of a crime. The system should not protect cops from the ability of facing trial. Please help provide justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Greg Fisher, Mayor
Greg.Fischer@louisvilleky.gov
Subject: Justice for Breonna Taylor
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand transparency, truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. Please continue to use your position of power to help your city heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
You may also:
Request Mayor Fischer fire and revoke pensions for officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor
Request Mayor Fischer address the use of force by LMPD.
Robert Schroeder, Interim Deputy Chief
I am calling to thank you for joining us and the millions of people around the world to demand truth and justice about the murder of Breonna Taylor. We agree that the use of force against Breonna Taylor was alarming and it requires a transparent investigation. Please continue to use your position of power to help your state heal and seek justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.
Post
POST about Breonna, using the hashtags:
#BreonnaTaylor
#Justiceforbre
#Justiceforbreonna
#Sayhername
Share her story, images of her smiling face, and tag the responsible parties
On Twitter, use
@LMPD
@LouisvilleMayor
@GovAndyBeshear
@djaycameron
@danielcameronag
@repjohnyarmuth
@RandPaul
@senatemajldr.
On Instagram, use @LMPD.ky, @MayorGregFischer, and @GovAndyBeshear.
Outreach
Letter of Support to the Taylor Family
Click the link and scroll to the bottom of the page for a form that you can use to send a message to Breonna Taylor’s family.
Donate
For the release of protestors