The US Department of Justice has charged four officers involved in Breonna Taylor's murder for violating her civil rights. The entire department remains under federal investigation.
The following statement can be attributed to ACLU of Kentucky Interim Executive Director Amber Duke:
"Today, for the first time, Louisville police officers are being held directly accountable for Breonna Taylor’s murder. Breonna’s family members and the Louisville community have been pleading for justice for Breonna Taylor for years, and today these cries were finally heard.
These federal charges and arrests would not have happened without the determination of Breonna Taylor’s family, her legal team, and public protests in Kentucky and across the nation. The ACLU of Kentucky proudly represents Kentuckians who were tear gassed, knocked down, shot with pepper balls, and wrongfully arrested as they demanded justice for Breonna. Our federal lawsuit is still in court as we continue our fight to protect the right to protest and exercise free speech. We are re-invigorated by today’s announcement, finally seeing these officers held responsible for killing a young Black woman while illegally exercising their power under the law.
It should not have taken this long for Breonna Taylor’s murderers to face legal accountability. If not for the United States Department of Justice, accountability may have never come, following the failure of state and local officials to take action.
This is a first step toward justice for Breonna Taylor. She should still be alive today."
