Breonna Taylor: Charges dropped against boyfriend of healthcare worker shot dead by police
Ms Taylor, a decorated Emergency Medical Technician, was shot multiple times and killed during raid by police
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Your support makes all the difference.The charges against the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, the healthcare worker shot dead by police in her own home, have been dropped by the prosecution.
Kenneth Walker was charged with attempted murder and assault after he opened fire, striking and injuring a Louisville Metro Police Department sergeant during a drug raid on 13 March.
Ms Taylor, a decorated Emergency Medical Technician, was shot multiple times and killed when police officers returned fire.
Commonwealth of Kentucky prosecutor Tom Wine is asking a court to dismiss the pending grand jury indictment against Mr Walker until investigations by the FBI, the US Attorney’s office and the state attorney general’s office could be completed, NBC News reports.
“If after those reviews we believe there is sufficient evidence to present this matter to the grand jury, we will do so,” Mr Wine said at a news conference. He also complained about “false information” about the actions of officers, presenting audio evidence of what happened during the raid.
The misinformation stems from social media posts and differing accounts as to whether the police knocked or banged on the door before entering the apartment. They officers had a “no-knock” warrant allowing them to burst in, but say that they banged on the door anyway and announced that they had a search warrant.
Mr Walker claims that he believed that it was an ex-boyfriend of Ms Taylor at the door and that he was scared. He says they called out asking who was there but received no reply and says he called 911. When the door opened he fired one shot towards the ground.
An officer was hit and, along with his colleagues, fired back. Ms Taylor was then struck at least eight times.
The grand jury in the case was not informed by police that Ms Taylor had been killed during the raid, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported on Thursday.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump who is representing Ms Taylor’s family said that charges should never have been filed.
Ms Taylor’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three officers in the raid.
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