LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For months, celebrities, athletes and national politicians alike have been demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old unarmed Black woman who was shot and killed by police in her apartment on March 13.
As part of the national outcry over the case, celebrities from Oprah Winfrey to LeBron James to Beyoncé have been calling on Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to criminally charge the Louisville Metro Police officers involved in the shooting.
A grand jury on Wednesday indicted one of the three officers involved in Taylor's death, former Detective Brett Hankison, on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment related to shots fired into three apartments other than Taylor's. Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove were not indicted.
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In a press conference after the grand jury announcement, Cameron said, "There is no doubt that this is a gut-wrenching, emotional case, and the pain that many people are feeling is understandable."
"I deeply care about the value and sanctity of human life," he went on. "That deserves protection. And in this case, a human life was lost. We cannot forget that."
The Courier Journal will be tracking how big national names are reacting to Cameron's decision. Here's what a few of them have had to say so far:
Celebrities
Recording artist Lecrae tweeted that "It’s all kind of numbing."
"On one hand it’s like I KNOW I’m not crazy there’s a real problem in our country," he wrote. "On the other I’m sad that everyone doesn’t see it and some don’t want to. Of course I know God is at work. It’s just tough to process it all. #BreonnaTaylor."
The NAACP, the country's oldest civil rights organization, posted on Instagram that "the injustice we're witnessing at this moment can be sensed through the nation. It is unacceptable that, once again, culpability has eluded those guilty of state-sanctioned murder." Actress Viola Davis shared the NAACP post and wrote "Bulls--- decision. BLACK LIVES MATTER. Cannot be said enough times."
Political figures and activists
Scott Dworkin, co-founder of the Democratic Coalition super PAC, tweeted Wednesday that the indictment "wasn’t justice."
"They indicted one officer and it wasn’t for murder," he wrote. "Breonna Taylor deserves justice. This wasn’t justice."
Charlotte Clymer, a writer and activist, tweeted, "The charges don't even address her murder."
"Breonna Taylor and her family did not receive justice today, plain and simple," she wrote.
Marianne Williamson, a former presidential candidate who visited Louisville last October, tweeted the decision is "nothing close to full accountability and a tragic indictment of a justice system doing little more than throwing us a bone."
Meanwhile, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams applauded Cameron's handling of the case, tweeting in part that he believes his fellow Republican "has shown immense courage in taking on the investigation of the killing of Breonna Taylor; great diligence in painstakingly running down every lead; and extraordinary grace under pressure in detailing his findings before the eyes of our country."
Loralei HoJay, the student behind the viral Change.org petition that demanded "Justice for Breonna Taylor," called the decision a "lack of justice for Breonna Taylor."
"I'm saddened to see the lack of justice for Breonna Taylor in this grand jury announcement. Justice has not been served," HoJay said in a statement. "We now need to channel this disappointment into legislation that bans no-knock warrants everywhere around the country."
Reach breaking news reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ladd_sarah. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.
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How celebrities, public officials reacted to grand jury indictment in Breonna Taylor case - Courier Journal
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