WASHINGTON | The family of Breonna Taylor, a black American killed in her home by police, announced Tuesday that they had waived a civil complaint in exchange for $ 12 million in damages and promises to reform local law enforcement.
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This sum, one of the largest ever granted to relatives of police victims, reflects the commotion caused throughout the United States by this dossier which has become emblematic of the “Black Lives Matter” movement (“black lives matter” ).
Authorities in Louisville, Kentucky have also agreed to several reforms to their police services, including how to conduct arrest warrants or include social workers in their ranks.
This is a “historic” amount, family lawyer Ben Crump said at a press conference. “But comprehensive reforms are just as important, they set an example,” he added.
This amicable agreement puts an end to the civil proceedings, but not to the criminal investigation, which has not yet resulted in any indictment six months after the tragedy.
“Today is an important day in the direction of justice for Breonna, but it is only the beginning,” commented her mother Tamika Palmer. “We must not lose sight of our first objective: it is time to have indictments because it is what she deserves”, she added, visibly moved.
On March 13, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old nurse, was shot dead by police in her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, where she was with her companion.
The agents were acting as part of an investigation related to drug trafficking, with a so-called “no knock” warrant that allows them to enter a suspect’s home without announcing themselves.
When they arrived, Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend opened fire with a legally owned gun. The officers retaliated and the young woman was shot several times.
He then assured that the agents had not announced and that he had believed to be dealing with a burglar. They claim to have introduced themselves before entering.
Lawyers for the Taylor family had filed a civil lawsuit in April seeking redress, arguing that the wanted notice was wrong and that officers had fired indiscriminately, without showing the necessary measure.
One of the three officers, Brett Hankison, has since been fired and the other two laid off. The city has also banned “no knock” warrants. But no police have been charged, which has fueled daily rallies in Louisville for weeks.