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The family of Breonna Taylor, an EMT who was killed in a bungled police raid nearly two months ago, will be represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
Activist Tamika D. Mallory announced the news on her Instagram on Monday, May 11.
“Hey family, I see all the tags about our sister #breonnataylor,” she captioned a photo of Taylor. “Just hung up with the family lawyer @attorneycrump (see slide two for his statement). We demand justice for this beautiful young Queen. As Attorney Crump said, “while we RUN for Maud, we must STAND for Breonna.” More to come…check @untilfreedom for actions you can take TODAY. #justiceforbreonna.”
Crump, 51, who is also representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery, echoed Mallory’s sentiments in a statement of his own on Monday.
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“We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department,” the attorney stated in a press release. “Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, the Department has not provided any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred, nor have they taken responsibility for her senseless killing.”
Taylor was killed at her boyfriend Kenneth Walker‘s home in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13 after police officers raided the apartment. The 26-year-old, who worked at two local hospitals, was reportedly shot eight times as police were serving a search warrant related to a narcotics investigation.
The police officers claimed that they were “immediately met by gunfire” upon entering the home, according to local news outlet WDRB. Walker’s defense attorney, Rob Eggert, argued that the officers burst into the home without notifying the couple of their presence and fired off 22 rounds of bullets that sprayed into neighboring apartments.
“Had Breonna Taylor been killed by anyone except police, the person or persons responsible for her death would have been charged with a homicide,” Eggert said in a court document as reported by WDRB.
Walker, 27, was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder of a police officer after he allegedly shot Sgt. John Mattingly in the leg. He was released from jail by a local judge on March 27, a decision that was slammed by Louisville Metro Police union.
READ MORE: Court docs say Ahmaud Arbery had previous connection with one of the men who shot him
“I certainly understand the need to make sure we are releasing those people who don’t pose a risk to our community from the jail, especially as we face the outbreak of COVID-19,” Chief Steve Conrad told WDRB at the time. “However, it’s hard for me to see how a man accused of shooting a police officer falls into that low-risk category and I am very frustrated by Mr. Walker’s release to home incarceration.
Eggert, meanwhile, said that Walker was “victim of police misconduct.” Taylor’s aunt, Bianca Austin, told reporters that the family is focused on justice.
“These are two good kids,” Austin said to WDRB. “This is incompetent police work. My niece lost her life over this.”
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