NBCSL Expresses Lawmakers’ Outrage in Response to the Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Probe Findings and Touts Legislative Action to Protect Communities of Color From Police Violence

September 25, 2020

Washington, D.C. September 25, 2020 The National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL)

The National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) is outraged at the failure of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron to secure an indictment against the officers responsible for taking the life of Breonna Taylor. NBCSL stands in solidarity with her family and supporters around the world, and even though the criminal justice system failed to hold the officers who killed Breonna accountable, her life matters to us. NBCSL will keep up the fight to ensure that people of color can feel safe in their homes as they sleep at night.

It has been nearly 200 days since Breonna Taylor was callously murdered by three Louisville Metro Police Department officers executing what many believe to have been a no knock search warrant. The officers fired more than twenty-two shots into Ms. Taylor’s apartment, hitting her six times and many questions regarding her murder still remain unanswered. The Grand Jury impaneled in connection with Ms. Taylor’s death failed to indict the officers responsible for the only life that was taken. This killing by police officers like so many others, is a painful reminder that America’s justice system does not protect citizens equally. NBCSL calls on Attorney General Cameron to publicly release the grand jury transcripts for full transparency and accountability of the process.

Recently, NBCSL unveiled Ethical Policing, a policy framework that will codify law enforcement standards and the public’s expectations through increased accountability and transparency measures. This proposed legislation will be introduced by NBCSL Members in more than ten states, including Kentucky.

NBCSL looks forward to engaging more lawmakers and stakeholders as we proceed with this framework to protect communities of color against the injustice suffered by Ms. Taylor and countless others.

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Click here for a copy of NBCSL’s Statement

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