Ahmaud Arbery’s Mother To Help Breonna Taylor’s Family Get Justice
Following the June 24 indictment of Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan, in Ahmaud Arbery murder case, the slain jogger’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones is now fighting for justice for another family who lost their loved one.
Cooper-Jones is reportedly scheduled to meet with Breonna Taylor’s mom, Tamika Palmer, in Louisville on Thursday (June 25) to meet with lawmakers and local activists in the ongoing fight for Breonna, according to TMZ.
Lee Merritt, attorney for Ahmaud’s case, will accompany his mother on the trip as they call for the Louisville police officers involved in the March 13 death of Breonna to be arrested and charged.
One officer involved in the shooting, Brett Hankinson, was fired on June 19 after he was found to have violated two standards of operating procedures: obedience to the rules and regulations and use of deadly force.
Hankison, along with officers Myles Cosgrove, and Jonathan Mattingly were assigned to a botched March 13 drug raid in which they were seeking to arrest a suspect they believed lived in the apartment Taylor and boyfriend Kenneth Williams occupied. Police executed a “no-knock” warrant and burst through the door, according to a lawsuit filed by Taylor’s family.
However, when they came inside, the couple believed intruders were breaking in and Williams grabbed his own firearm. The officers opened fire and one of the officers was wounded. Taylor was shot to death. The suspect they were looking for was already in custody.
RELATED: Louisville Council Passes ‘Breonna’s Law,’ Banning ‘No Knock’ Warrants To Honor EMT Killed By Police
On June 11, the Louisville City Council voted unanimously to be “no-knock” warrants in a new ordinance called “Breonna’s Law.”
According to the Louisvile Courier-Journal, the new law also requires that officers who are serving warrants must wear body cameras, activate them at least five minutes before they execute the warrants, and not turn them off until at least five minutes after the serving has ended.
In an interview with BET.com, Taylor’s mother said that her daughter enjoyed her job as an EMT and was dedicated to saving lives and caring for people. She expressed that she feels that no-knock warrants should be banned.
“I’m pretty sure that no one is ever prepared for this,” she said. “Breonna’s death broke us. She was a big part of our lives. I hope that this never happens to anyone else. No one should ever have to go through this. No-knock warrants should be banned. It makes any sense and body cams should always be used. This is how you avoid stuff like this.”
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