Breonna Taylor’s murderers still free; grand jury rules unjustly

Artwork+in+memory+of+Breonna+Taylor+decorates+the+George+Floyd+Memorial.

Courtesy of Google Creative Commons

Artwork in memory of Breonna Taylor decorates the George Floyd Memorial.

Breonna Taylor was a beautiful, 26-year-old aspiring EMT nurse, who was unfairly murdered in her own home by the police. Her murder prompted months of anti-racist activism, and fighting with the goal of bringing Taylor justice.

Taylor was murdered on March 13. It has been seven months and Taylor and her family and friends have not received justice as a grand jury ruled her murderers not guilty. The case ruling was unjust and racially charged.

Confusion and unclear evidence from the case make it difficult to know exactly what happened on the night of Taylor’s murder. Three white police officers, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, claim to have announced themselves and knocked at Taylor’s door for over two minutes without response, prompting them to force their way in. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, has repeatedly said that he did not hear the police introduce themselves. The police also claimed to have a no-knock warrant, which has since been banned in Kentucky under “Breonna’s Law,” passed by the Louisville council. The police forced entry into Taylor’s home, and assuming the figure before him was an invader, Walker fired his gun. The police fired back, shooting Taylor six times, leading to her tragic death. Taylor had “no criminal record, and no drugs were found in her apartment,” according to USA Today.

A white man’s world holds more value today than the dead body of a black woman.

— Anna Darby

So why is Breonna Taylor yet to receive justice? Is it due to corruption and systemic racism within the police department and the government? Probably. People of color are disproportionately killed by police, according to U.S. News, and therefore disproportionately do not receive justice. The violence against people of color from law enforcement needs to stop, but will not until it can be proven that police officers’ actions do have consequences. Without justice for Breonna Taylor, Black people will continue to be murdered by the police. Junior Anna Darby said that she believes Taylor’s murderers have not been charged because “a white man’s world holds more value today than the dead body of a black woman.”

According to NPR, based on a court-released recording of the grand jury regarding Taylor’s case, Hankison is being charged, “not with contributing to Taylor’s death but to firing his weapon indiscriminately, sending bullets into a neighboring apartment.” Ask yourself this: is a wall more important than a human life? I don’t think so, but apparently the grand jury believes it is. At least the wall got justice, right?

The only important, sure fact about this case is that an innocent woman was murdered inside of her own home, and that should be more than enough information for Taylor and her family to receive justice. Taylor’s case is not political, but it is monumental in regard to human rights. No justice, no peace.