LOCAL

How did Breonna Taylor die? What to know about the Louisville woman shot by police

Darcy Costello Tessa Duvall
Louisville Courier Journal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Breonna Taylor, whose name is now recognized across the U.S., was killed on March 13, 2020, by Louisville Metro Police officers who went to her home to serve a no-knock search warrant.

Taylor, a 26-year-old Black ER technician, was shot six times by police and killed in her hallway. She was unarmed.

No one has been charged for her killing.

It took about two months after her death for her case to become a national story. In the months since, her impact has been felt in legislation, investigations and a racial reckoning that was felt in cities across the country.

An FBI investigation into the case is ongoing. Other investigations by Louisville Metro Police and the Kentucky Attorney General's Office have concluded — resulting in three fired officers, disciplinary actions against others and criminal charges against one detective for firing shots into a neighboring occupied apartment.

In June, Louisville's Metro Council unanimously passed Breonna's Law, banning Louisville police from using no-knock search warrants. Lawmakers in other cities and states are now filing similar legislation.

More:In cities and states across the US, Breonna's Law is targeting deadly no-knock warrants

Records show Taylor was not the main target of the narcotics investigation that led to her death, but she and her apartment were named on the search warrant that led police to her home that night.

Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was not named on the warrant or the investigation.

Walker has said he and Taylor were in bed when they heard knocking on the door, but did not hear any response when they called out asking who was there. Walker fired one shot as police broke down the door, striking Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the thigh.

Three officers returned fire, spraying the apartment with 32 bullets and killing Taylor.

No drugs or money were recovered from Taylor's apartment.

Related:What we know about Taylor's boyfriend and the charges against him

Here's what we know to date:

Who was Breonna Taylor?

Breonna Taylor

Taylor, 26, had worked at two area hospitals, Palmer told The Courier Journal. Taylor had previously worked as a certified EMT for the city and aspired to further her career in health care. 

Palmer said Taylor was a young woman who adored her family above all else and who had made plans to succeed. 

"She had a whole plan on becoming a nurse and buying a house and then starting a family. Breonna had her head on straight, and she was a very decent person," Palmer said. "She didn't deserve this." 

Palmer said Taylor attended the University of Kentucky for a time but later decided to return to Louisville so she could focus on other things: Buying a car (she purchased her beloved Dodge Charger in January), working on her credit score and buying a house.

That's when, Palmer said, Taylor would be able to quit one of her two jobs and go back to college to study nursing in the fall.

Working in health care is almost a family tradition, Palmer said. Palmer is a dialysis technician, and Taylor's aunts also work in healthcare.

As a child, Taylor wanted to help take care of her grandmother and check her blood sugar.

Taylor loved spicy food, like chicken with hot sauce or taco salads with some kick, Palmer said. She was always the one who organized family cookouts and game nights.

Family members described her as kind, hardworking and honest and that they were angry she was dead so young. 

"She really did not deserve to end her life so horrifically," said Taylor's aunt, Bianca Austin.

Palmer said Walker planned to propose to Taylor, because he finally felt ready for marriage. He was going to use his mother's ring, she said.

"Kenny will forever be family," Palmer said.

Read this:Louisville police pursued 'no-knock' search warrant in fatal shooting 

Why were police at Taylor's home?

Though Taylor was not the main target of the narcotics investigation that prompted Louisville Metro Police officers to enter her home, the officers did have a search warrant for her and her apartment

Detective Joshua Jaynes wrote five affidavits seeking a judge's permission for no-knock searches, including at Taylor's South End apartment, as a part of the narcotics investigation on March 12.

Jefferson Circuit Judge Mary Shaw signed all five within 12 minutes. Shaw did not agree to an interview, but her attorney estimated that the "warrant application took at least 30 minutes, and perhaps as long as 40 minutes" to review.

Jaynes was fired in January for including false information in the affidavit to secure Taylor's search warrant.

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Taylor's death has raised questions about why police waited until 12:40 a.m. — about 12 hours after the warrants were signed by Shaw — to serve it.

The warrant had a no-knock provision, meaning police could enter Taylor's home before identifying themselves as law enforcement, although LMPD officials said the officers knocked and announced their presence before using a battering ram to enter the apartment.

Taylor's address was listed in the warrant, records show, based on police's belief that one of the narcotics investigation's main suspects, Jamarcus Glover, used her home to receive mail, keep drugs or stash money earned from the sale of drugs. 

Jaynes wrote in an affidavit summarizing the investigation that led to the warrant that Glover walked into Taylor's apartment one January afternoon and left with a "suspected USPS package in his right hand" then got into his car and drove to a "known drug house" on Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

Jaynes wrote he verified through a U.S. postal inspector that Glover had been receiving packages at Taylor's address. 

A U.S. postal inspector in Louisville, however, has told WDRB News LMPD didn't use his office to verify that Glover was receiving packages at Taylor's apartment. 

Postal inspector Tony Gooden said a different agency had asked in January to look into whether Taylor's home was receiving suspicious mail. Gooden's office concluded that hadn't happened.

Glover told USA Today/The Courier Journal in August that Taylor had "nothing illegal" in her apartment and no ties to drug dealing.

Jaynes, who was fired by then-Chief Yvette Gentry for this false information, has appealed his termination. He is one of three officers to be fired — along with detectives Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison, who also faces criminal charges. 

Minute by minute:What happened the night police fatally shot Breonna Taylor

What is a no-knock warrant?

At the time in Louisville, police could seek no-knock entry, meaning they don't have to identify themselves before entering a residence or business.

Policies at the time said that was permitted if there was reasonable suspicion that knocking would be dangerous, futile or inhibit the "effective investigation of the crime."

In this case, police said it was necessary at Taylor's house because "these drug traffickers have a history of attempting to destroy evidence, have cameras on the location that compromise detectives once an approach to the dwelling is made, and have a history of fleeing from law enforcement." 

Taylor had no criminal history with drugs, and Walker had no felony charges before the night of the shooting.

No-knock search warrants have since been banned in Louisville under "Breonna's Law," and additional restrictions are under consideration in the state legislature.

On May 22, Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Wine played a partial recording of statements from Walker during a press conference. Walker said he and Taylor heard a loud banging on the door, and yelled out asking who was there.

Walker said they heard no response, so he grabbed his gun, feeling "scared to death."

They got out of bed and were going toward the door when it “comes off its hinges” and Walker fired one shot, still unable to see, he told police.

More on this:'No-knock' searches vs. stand-your-ground laws: A deadly combo 

What happened when police entered?

Hankison, Cosgrove and Mattingly, the officers who fired their weapons at Taylor's apartment, were assigned to the team tasked with carrying out the search at Taylor's apartment.

They, along with other police officers, including a lieutenant, were on the scene that night. Attorneys for Taylor's family wrote in a court filing that more than 120 officers ultimately were dispatched to Taylor's apartment in the aftermath of her death.

Taylor and her boyfriend, Walker, woke up banging on the door and believed the apartment was being broken into, according to statements Walker has made and the civil suit.

"While police may claim to have identified themselves, they did not. Mr. Walker and Ms. Taylor again heard a large bang on the door. Again, when they inquired there was no response that there was police outside. At this point, the door suddenly explodes. Counsel believes that police hit the door with a battering ram," said Rob Eggert, who defended Walker.

Walker, acting in self-defense, according to Eggert, firing one gunshot that hit Mattingly in the femoral artery.

After Walker's shot, LMPD officers returned fire, police say. 

See also:Calls grow for feds to step in as national anger builds over shooting

What is the status of the investigation?

The Louisville Metro Police investigation into the events of March 13 was turned over to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron in May. 

Cameron's office then conducted its own independent investigation and presented the case to a grand jury, which charged Hankison with three counts of criminal wanton endangerment for bullets that traveled into a neighboring apartment.

Cameron has said his office did not investigate the circumstances surrounding the investigation or the process of securing the search warrants.

His team did not recommend criminal charges against any other officers.

Grand jurors have since come out to criticize his characterization of the grand jury process and were granted rare permission by a judge to speak publicly about the jury presentation. Three anonymous jurors also filed an unsuccessful impeachment petition against Cameron.

Additionally, the FBI announced on May 21 it would open its own investigation into Taylor's death.

FBI officials were seen at Taylor's apartment on June 19 executing a search warrant as part of their independent investigation and taking a "fresh" look at the evidence.

The FBI's Civil Rights Division, based in Washington D.C., is working with the Louisville Field Office on the case.

Spokesman Tim Beam said the FBI will investigate "all aspects" of Taylor's death, including interviewing witnesses who have and haven't already spoken to LMPD.

They'll also examine all physical evidence and video evidence to better understand what transpired, he said. 

What happened to Kenneth Walker?

Walker remained on home incarceration for nearly two months following the shooting.

But as Taylor's death gained attention, so did calls for Walker's criminal charges to be dismissed. A GoFundMe for his legal defense raised more than $220,000, and Metro Councilwoman Jessica Green, D-1st District, called him a "hero" for trying to protect his girlfriend.

On May 22, Wine announced he was dismissing the charges against Walker, citing the need for further investigation.

"I believe that additional investigation is necessary," Wine said.

Nearly a year after the incident, Wine's office recommended the charges be dismissed permanently, as investigations pending last May have concluded without further evidence against Walker. A judge granted that request.

Have any policies changed since Breonna Taylor's death?

A new ordinance unanimously passed by Louisville Metro Council on June 11 banned the use of no-knock search warrants by LMPD and requires all officers serving warrants to wear body cameras. Fischer signed Breonna's Law the next day.

Fischer had already suspended the use of no-knock search warrants on May 29, meeting one of protesters' main demands.

About two hours before the Metro Council's vote, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul announced he would file legislation to ban the controversial warrants nationwide.

"After talking with Breonna Taylor's family, I've come to the conclusion that it's long past time to get rid of no-knock warrants," Paul said. "This bill will effectively end no-knock raids in the United States."

Other cities and states across the nation are considering their own versions of Breonna's Law.

More:In cities and states across the US, Breonna's Law is targeting deadly no-knock warrants

Additional changes include:

  • A top-to-bottom review of the Louisville Metro Police with 102 fixes.
  • A new police chief selected after a nationwide search, following the firing of Chief Steve Conrad — the longtime chief fired after it was revealed there was no body camera footage of the shooting of David McAtee.
  • The creation of a new civilian review board and inspector general to provide oversight of Louisville Metro Police.
  • A public call from city officials for subpoena powers for that review board.
  • Shifting responsibility for LMPD officer shooting investigations to Kentucky State Police, rather than LMPD's Public Integrity Unit.
  • A housing credit program for LMPD officers to incentivize living in a qualified Census tract.
  • An exploration of the "deflection" model in which non-police services, such as a social worker, medic or mental health therapist, is dispatched to some 911 calls.
  • Amended police policies on search warrant processes, the authorization of the use of tear gas and body camera footage of currency seizures.
  • Resumed random drug testing, and a push to expand that testing to ensure officers are randomly tested one per year.
  • Stated intention to implement an early warning system, called IAPro, that would raise red flags on troubling officer behavior.
  • Encouragement of volunteering by LMPD officers for two hours per pay period at a community organization.

Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Tessa Duvall: 502-582-4059; tduvall@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @tessaduvall. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/darcyc.