Breonna Taylor Archives - The Virginia Star

Delegate McGuire Introduces Repeals of Democratic Criminal Justice Reforms

January 15, 2022January 14, 2022 Eric Burk

Delegate John McGuire (R-Henrico) has introduced several bills that would repeal Democratic criminal justice reforms. McGuire’s proposals include bills to lower thresholds for felony larceny, make it easier to execute search warrants, and end local governmental authority to establish law enforcement civilian oversight bodies. Chief on the list is HB 59, which requires school principals to report misdemeanors to law enforcement and to the victim’s parents.

Virginia Police Advocate: Breonna’s Law Too Broad, but Not All Bad

December 10, 2020December 9, 2020 Eric Burk

Governor Ralph Northam ceremonially signed “Breonna’s Law” on Monday. The law bans no-knock warrants and is named after Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky resident who was killed in her home in March by police. It also bans night-time search warrants without authorization by a judge or magistrate. But Virginia police advocates say the law is too broad — a wholesale ban on a law enforcement tool that they say is already rarely used.

Over 120 Arrests Recorded at Louisville Riots, Reports Say

September 25, 2020September 24, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Over 120 people were arrested during riots in Louisville, Kentucky following a grand jury decision to charge one of three officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed during the execution of a narcotics warrant in March.

A total of 127 people were apprehended between Wednesday and Thursday for damaging businesses, jumping on city vehicles and violating curfew, according to the Associated Press. Garbage crews have since begun to clear the damage reportedly caused by rioters, AP reported.

Ohio State University President Sparks Controversy with Breonna Taylor Statement

September 25, 2020September 24, 2020 Ben Kolodny

In a video statement posted on Twitter Wednesday, Ohio State University President Kristina Johnson ignited controversy with a statement about Breonna Taylor.

In the 45 second clip Johnson said:

“Breonna Taylor deserves justice, and this does not feel like justice. We cannot accept what has happened in Louisville, we grieve the tragic and senseless loss of Breonna Taylor, a daughter, a friend, a niece, a loved one, who was unarmed and asleep. The breakdown in the justice system and the killings of unarmed Black and Brown people in our country has become all too familiar, tragically. This isn’t going to stop until we create an anti-racist world. We must come together to draw strength from each other and advance our collective vision for a better world where we’ll one day have justice for all. There is much work to be done.”

Protesters Arrested in Louisville After Grand Jury Indicts Only One of Three Officers in Breonna Taylor Shooting

September 24, 2020September 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

In a decision that has inflamed Black Lives Matter activists in Louisville, a grand jury has indicted only one of three officers involved in the March 13 fatal police shooting of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor.

Former detective Brett Hankison was indicted on three counts of wanton endangerment for showing “extreme indifference to human life” when he fired his gun into three apartments. The charges were not for killing Taylor, but for putting her neighbors in danger.

Media Focus on Driver Who Hit Agitator During Louisville ‘Protest’ That Led to 17 Arrests

June 24, 2020June 23, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A small but chaotic protest in Louisville, Kentucky, last Wednesday led to seventeen arrests, five cars towed, and one confiscated gun, but for some reason, the local media initially focused like a laser beam on a panicked woman in a car that struck a “protester.”

Louisville has seen unrest since May 28 over the shooting of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, a unarmed black woman killed by police during a shootout in her apartment. The incident happened during a no-knock raid for drugs in her apartment on March 13.

Kanye West Attends Chicago Protest, Donates $2M to Victims

June 6, 2020June 5, 2020 The Associated Press

Kanye West has donated $2 million to support the families and legal teams for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.

A representative for the rapper confirmed that some of the money donated would fully cover college tuition costs for Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter, Gianna. Floyd died last month after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes as he pleaded for air.