151 days ago, Breonna Taylor was murdered in her own home by police officers in Lexington, Kentucky. Breonna was a 26-year-old EMT who returned home from her shift and went to bed. In the middle of the night, three police officers executed a “no knock warrant” – except the warrant was for a house ten miles away. There are differing stories about what happened between Breonna’s boyfriend and the three cops, but none of that changes the fact that Breonna is dead and her murderers are free. The three cops who murdered Breonna – Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove – have not been charged or arrested with any crime. They were put on administrative leave, and the Louisville Internal Affairs has investigated, and the FBI investigation is apparently ongoing. It shouldn’t be this hard. When a murderer hides behind the badge, he’s still a f–king murderer. Arrest all of them.
Which is why celebrity women have taken up Breonna Taylor’s case. Oprah put a photo of Breonna on the current issue of O Magazine, and Oprah paid for 26 billboards in and around Louisville demanding the arrest of Breonna’s killers. On the 150th day since Breonna was murdered, celebrity women – in what was an organized effort – all posted photos of themselves wearing “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” t-shirts. The t-shirts were made by the brand Phenomenal in association with the Breonna Taylor Foundation.
Cover courtesy of O Magazine, photos courtesy of Instagram.
Breonna Taylor 💔 🙏🏼 ⚖️
Louisville resident here. Unfortunately, those cops just are never going to be arrested. AG Cameron (a known McConnell stooge) has been purposely slow-walking this investigation and will probably drag this out until after the election, then announce the inevitable no charges.
I want the cops held accountable, but this tragedy goes far deeper than them. I want the judge who signed off on this bogus warrant held accountable, as well as the detective in charge of the investigation directing those three cops to go to her apartment. The real target needs to be the war on drugs and qualified immunity, not JUST (but not excluding) incompetent cops.
Cameron ain’t gonna do nothing. He hates Black women and will do nothing to bring peace to Breonna or her family. He sure did not have a problem making sure her boyfriend was charged with attempted murder for defending their home though.
He sees this as a inconvenience and I hope his Sunken Place hurts like hell from now on.
+1
We need to go father than the cops.
This!!!
Her story is so painful. She was a decorated EMT! Helping people during the pandemic. She was also planning to buy a house. Such an accomplished young woman at 26. By all accounts, a kind and selfless woman. All of that just stolen. We demand justice.
She could have had a arrest record 23 miles long, it does not negate that she was murdered by police.
Stop posting resumes thinking that should make a difference in how we perceive what happened to this woman.
Some of you are so nasty on this site. I hope you can heal from whoever hurt you. You come off quite sad
I was celebrating her life and accomplishments. And for the record I am a black woman.
@Nina.
You are proven my point in spades. So many, that I won all my books.
@Tiffany
Nina was celebrating her life and talking about her accomplishments.
Because of those people, this wonderful woman isn’t here anymore.
No need to attack Nina.
I understand your point @Tiffany. Similar with the “model immigrant/minority”. I know Nina was attempting to celebrate Breonna’s life with her comments, but also folks need to be sensitive to the fact that often times the listing of accomplishments when it comes to discrimination or murder of BIPOC and/or immigrants often has the covert message that their accomplishments make them worthy of concern/care. I hear both of you and I am just so sad that we as Black women are in this position in this country where we are so hated and reviled and yet always asked to bail out this country from its own horrors. There is no rest for Black women unless we take it ourselves. Praying and working for justice for Breonna Taylor. May the murderers be brought to justice.
I’m going to admit something: I think it’s fantastic that celebrities are helping to shine a light on this, but when it seems like they have moved away completely from #metoo which a lot of them were fronting a year or two ago, and that makes me worry about BLM. Like…will they just forget about it when the next big thing comes up? Am I the only one who thinks like this?
I think of it this way — we are surrounded by so much horror, there isn’t the ability to only concentrate on one tragedy at a time.
I applaud and support anyone who uses this time to illuminate evil in the hope that doing so will make things better. Eventually. We can hope.
Celebrities generally do exactly that, move from issue to issue.
Although I don’t doubt they’re sincere in championing the subject at hand. Plus they raise awareness. But it is partially self promotion so when the issue isn’t that hot anymore, they move on. And there’s always many issues, so it’s not like they’re bad people – they just can’t do ALL all of the time.
But honestly I have more trust in those who don’t find THE issue of the day, but something more obscure – they seem much more invested. I hope some of these jumpers (Sarah Paulson, I love you, but hello) actually stick to this one. And some others. Seriously stick, keep pushing until there are results. Oprah being behind this stands a good chance, I think.
Some celebrities stay with issues.
And others feel strong about many things and try to help a bit with each.
It’s better to have people who do something than people who do nothing.
While it’s good that they’re supporting this issue and keeping Breonna’s name out there, I often feel like a lot of their carefully posed, perfectly lit photographs are so disengenuous and performative. Like, Busy Phillips, come on now.
This happened in Louisville, not Lexington, a big difference if you are familiar with Kentucky. I don’t want to be a negative nancy about this case because it hurts my heart but I hope that her family is being taken care of, especially when there are so many using her name right now.
Could you put the names of the cops in the article? I think that’s important
I truly don’t understand how the people who are choosing not charge her murderers can live with themselves. I dont understand it. I wish there was a hell so I could have some peace knowing they’d go there. (Or join me there I guess)
If BLM hadnt been marching at the time, Breonnas boyfriend would be rotting in jail for protecting his home.
Monsters.
If Biden and Kamala(hopefully) win, I hope they bring those murderers to justice.
Because they are the descendants of those who created chattel slavery and used genocide to build this country and who still systemically benefit in myriad ways from the codified myth of white supremacy. They live with themselves as they always have, as covert or overt white supremacists. Yes, truly monsters and such monsters come in all forms…
These people are evil, and evil comes in every race. No one is guilty of the sins of their ancestors.
It’s a shocking act–to burst into someone’s home in the night. No knock warrants have to go. Any publicity that helps her family get justice is positive. The WNBA social justice campaign is another way that Breonna’s name is staying in the news.
One of the victories from all this Louisville activists were able to achieve is the creation of Breonna’s Law, banning all no-knock warrants in Louisville.
The ban really needs to be nationwide. There are so many horrible stories out there about the results of these no-knock warrants.
Breonna Taylor
My family is from Kentucky so it makes me sad there has been no justice. No shocked but so very sad. I’m somewhat jaded about all these white saviors in their tee shirts. Oprah’s effort has so much more sincerity and real commitment to the forcing people
To literally face it on the streets where they live.. She literally put her money with her mouth is…