By: Darcy Bolinger
There has been a settlement between the city of Louisville and the family of Breonna Taylor to be paid in the amount of $12 million and new police reforms
The city of Louisville, Kentucky government is to pay $12 million to the mother of Breonna Taylor as well as introduce new police reforms after a wrongful death lawsuit was settled Tuesday. This decision comes six months after Taylor’s death by police that became a beacon for the national movement on police brutality and racism.
Family lawyer Sam Aguiar confirms the settlement includes $12 million dollars in reparations, reports CBS. This is the largest settlement paid in a Louisville police misconduct case, the second largest being a sum of $8.5 million dollars.
City official David James adds that the settlement included “a mandate for supervisors to sign off on search warrants,” reports the Wall Street Journal. In June, legislation titled “Breonna’s Law” was passed which banned no-knock warrants.
The Associated Press reports that the lawsuit was first filed in April by Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, alleging “the police used flawed information when they obtained a ‘no-knock’ warrant to enter [Taylor’s] apartment.”
Taylor’s death back in March occurred when three plain clothes police officers broke through Taylor’s apartment door with a no-knock warrant, causing Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker to shoot his licensed firearm at the officers, hitting Sgt. John Mattingly in the leg. The officers responded by shooting back, hitting Taylor multiple times and killing her.
Police acquired the warrant after arresting Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, on drug charges 10 miles away from Taylor’s home. Police suspected Glover was storing drugs or money at Taylor’s home, so they arrived at her place with a warrant.
Immediately following the firing of bullets, the officer who shot Taylor was let go in June, and the Louisville police chief has retired. Last week, Mayor Fischer named Yvette Gentry the new interim police chief. She is the first Black woman to lead the force.
Taylor’s death, as well as those of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, was the catalyst for the uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has held protests across the nation with the goal of raising awareness about racial inequality, with special emphasis on police brutality. The public has since called for the officers involved to be criminally charged.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron released a statement last week saying the investigation into Taylor’s death and the officers involved is still ongoing.