Many still mourn the tragic death of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor. She was shot and ultimately killed by Louisville Metro Police Department officers on March 13 via a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation.
It was reported that the investigation was linked to her ex-boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. However, it seems that suspicions of the case are now starting to leak out. According to reports, one of the grand jurors who heard evidence in the Breonna Taylor case is speaking out.
“Grand Juror #1”, who remains unnamed, released a statement shared by Vice News on Tuesday. It stated that during the trial, the grand jury allegedly was never implored to consider murder charges against the Louisville police officers. In addition, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron failed to present that information to them.
“The grand jury was not presented any charges other than the three wanton endangerment charges against Detective [Brett] Hankison,” the juror said in the written statement from Kevin Glogower’s office, the representative of anonymous juror.
“The grand jury did not have homicide offenses explained to them. The grand jury never heard anything about those laws. Self defense or justification was never explained either,” the statement continued.
Jefferson County Circuit Judge Annie O’Connell ruled on Tuesday that any grand juror who was involved in the case who “wishes to identify themselves as a participant in the grand jury proceedings” is allowed to do so. In addition, states that the disclosure of the proceedings is in the interest of the public.
It’s believed that there are conflicting stories between the account of the grand jurors when it came to their disclosing of the proceedings, and that of Cameron’s announcement about the incident on Sept. 23.
He announced that a grand jury had declined to bring homicide charges against the Louisville police officers. However, Taylor’s attorney’s say that they don’t believe the argument holds any weight.
Furthermore, don’t believe the jury declined to seek homicide charges against the officers. The attorney general has since filed a motion against the grand juror’s request. Stating that grand juries secret is the law.
“As I’ve stated prior, I have no concerns with a grand juror sharing their thoughts or opinions about me and my office’s involvement in the matter involving the death of Ms. Breonna Taylor,” Cameron said in a statement. “However, I have concerns with a grand juror seeking to make anonymous and unlimited disclosures about the grand jury proceedings.”
Moreover, although Cameron says that he disagrees with the judge’s decision, he’s elected not to appeal.
“Indictments obtained in the absence of sufficient proof under the law do not stand up and are not fundamentally fair to anyone,” he wrote.
A fellow lawyer for Taylor’s family, Sam Aguiar stated that Cameron should, “should be ashamed of himself. He made a decision based upon a political agenda.”
“[He]tried to hide behind secrecy rules and now his lies got exposed,” Aguiar said. “Everything he’s done has been an abuse of the system. Breonna’s Taylor’s family deserves and is entitled to a prosecutor committed to doing the job with morals, ethics, and a commitment to the law.”
