The Settlement for Breonna Taylor
The Breonna Taylor Land Acquisition and Settlement On September 24, 2020, a decision was handed down by a grand jury that had been deliberating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the three officers who were linked to Breonna Taylor’s passing. They only indicted one of the officers, a former detective by the name of Brett Hankison, on the charge of wanton endangerment in the first degree, which is a Class D felony, the least severe type of felony.
The accusation levelled against Hankison is connected to the fact that he is alleged to have fired his weapon through a window as well as a door. A pregnant woman, a child, and a man could have been injured as a result of bullets entering their neighbour’s apartment. Some of the bullets entered the apartment.
Ben Crump, an attorney from the firm Ben Crump Law, PLLC, which represents Taylor’s family, described the decision made by the grand jury as “outrageous and offensive.”
“If Hankison’s behavior constituted wanton endangerment of the people in the apartments next to hers, then it should also be considered wanton endangerment of Breonna,” Crump said in a statement. “If Hankison’s behavior constituted wanton endangerment of the people in the apartments next to hers.” “In point of fact, it should have been ruled wanton murder,” he stated.
Sgt. John Mattingly and Det. Myles Cosgrove, the two other police officers involved, have not been charged in connection with Taylor’s death. According to the findings of a ballistics investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cosgrove was the person who fired the fatal shot that killed Taylor.
An Important Step Toward Justice
The well-known civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump described the Breonna Taylor settlement of $12 million as “an important step toward justice more than six months after Breonna’s death.” The settlement was reached more than six months after Breonna’s passing.
“Nothing will ever bring back the precious life or fill the bottomless void left by the death of Breonna for her family or her community, which she served as a frontline emergency worker,” Mr. Crump said. “Nothing will ever bring back the precious life or fill the bottomless void left by the death of Breonna.” “But this settlement, together with the accompanying police reforms, sends a powerful signal to the community that Breonna’s life and her death will have a long-term impact, hopefully preventing the loss of other Black lives.”
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor’s mother, stated that as a result of the settlement, “we will continue to save lives in her honor.”
How the Breonna Taylor Settlement Can Bring Police Reform
Mr. Crump urged the city’s lawmakers and community stakeholders to not only acknowledge that the circumstances surrounding Ms. Taylor’s death point to a flaw in the policies and procedures that are currently in place but also to take active steps toward changing these guidelines.
As part of the settlement reached in the Breonna Taylor case, the city of Louisville agreed to extensive reform, which includes the steps outlined here.
Establish a Housing Credit Program
As an incentive for police officers to make their primary residences within the boundaries of the patrol districts they are assigned to, the city is going to launch a housing credit program. This not only offers a route to home ownership and a boost to the local economy, but it also helps eliminate the “us” and “them” division that contributes to racism and police brutality in the community.
Encourage Community Building
In an effort to foster and maintain long-term relationships between the police department and the community, the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) will encourage its officers to participate in volunteer work with local community organizations. Through participation in this program, officers would be encouraged to volunteer their time for a minimum of two hours during each pay period at a community organization.
Retain Social Workers
The Long Beach Municipal Police Department is dedicated to keeping social workers on staff. These social workers will be available to support and assist police officers on dispatched runs wherever it would be beneficial to do so. A social worker is able to provide a viewpoint that is both objective and informed, as well as the ability to help calm interactions that are stressful.
Mr. Crump lauded the efforts that were made to carry out these community revitalization plans. “In the many cases involving police brutality that I have represented, ranging from George Floyd and Jacob Blake to Pamela Turner, I have never seen the level of responsive and comprehensive systemic reform that has occurred here under the leadership of Mayor Fischer and the city council.”
“I have never seen the level of responsive and comprehensive systemic reform that has occurred here under the leadership of Mayor Fischer and the city council.”
Read More: Best Lawyers in Puerto Rico: Your Legal Champions
Settlement Includes Search Warrant Procedural Changes
The precedent-setting Breonna Taylor settlement addresses not only how law enforcement officials obtain search warrants but also how they carry them out. Ms. Taylor was shot and killed during a search warrant raid for narcotics, known as a “no-knock” raid, in which the police believed she would be home alone at the time.
In point of fact, Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend, who was legally allowed to own a firearm, mistook police officers for intruders and shot one of them, causing injury. Because of this catastrophic mistake, the LMPD has revised the procedures for obtaining search warrants.
Before an officer can ask a judge for permission to search, the commanding officer will review and approve all search warrants and affidavits to seek search warrants. Additionally, the commanding officer will evaluate the risk factors involved in searching. At each location where a warrant is being served, there will be additional safeguards, one of which is a distinct on-scene commanding officer.
Greater Police Accountability
The settlement regarding Breonna Taylor will also create greater accountability on the part of the police in areas such as:
Currency seizures: One of the new accountability measures requires that the body cameras worn by law enforcement officers be turned on for the entirety of the time that they are seizing money that was recovered through the use of a search warrant.
Warning system for the use of force This early warning system will track incidents of the use of force, complaints from citizens, investigations, and other elements to identify police officers who may require assistance or additional training.
The Long Beach Municipal Police Department (LMPD) has committed to resuming its practice of random drug testing, with the goal of ensuring that each officer is tested for drugs at least once per year.
Expanded personnel files: The department will negotiate with the police union to seek expansion and inclusion of the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) investigations for at least five years after an officer leaves the LMPD. This period would be included in the expanded personnel files.
Mr. Crump provided the following response in response to a question regarding his thoughts on the newly implemented accountability standards for the police: “We credit Mayor Fischer and the city council for their tremendous leadership in bringing progress and reform out of tragedy.”
Read More: Top Lawyers in Guam: Legal Excellence You Can Count On
Ben Crump Encourages Criminal Charges for Involved Officers
Mr. Crump reminded the city officials that Ms. Taylor’s family deserves justice for her unjust death despite the fact that these community and police reforms represent a historic transition for Louisville.
According to the statement made by Mr. Crump, “We continue to urge Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to convene a grand jury and immediately charge the involved officers.”
Ms. Palmer said, “It’s time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more,” echoing Mr. Crump’s call for justice. Although the Breonna Taylor settlement is significant, Ms. Palmer said, “It’s time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and more.”
