Breonna's Law passed in Louisville to ban no-knock warrants, Internet says ‘arrest cops who killed’ Taylor
In a major turnover, all 26 members of the Louisville Metro Council unanimously passed Breonna's Law, a measure to put a ban on no-knock warrants. Named after the former EMT, who died in a police raid at her apartment, the ordinance bans any search warrant that does not require police to announce themselves and their purpose at the premises. Moreover, as per an ABC report, it requires body cameras to be turned on before and after every search.
The law requires any Louisville Metro Police Department or Metro law enforcement to knock and wait a minimum of 15 seconds for a response, NBC News reported. The unanimously passed ordinance needs to be approved by the mayor, and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer vowed to pass the ban as “soon as it hits my desk.”
In a tweet, he wrote, “I plan to sign Breonna’s Law as soon as it hits my desk. I suspended use of these warrants indefinitely last month and wholeheartedly agree with Council that the risk to residents and officers with this kind of search outweigh any benefit,” and added, “This is one of many critical steps on police reform that we’ve taken to create a more peaceful, just, compassionate and equitable community.”
Breonna Taylor was a 26-year-old black woman, who was shot at least eight times by Louisville police when they executed a no-knock warrant while she slept in her Kentucky apartment on March 13. The family has said that officers barged into her apartment in the middle of the night and opened fire during a "botched" drug raid looking for a suspect who was already in custody by then.
Breonna died in the early hours in her own home she shared with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker in Louisville. Authorities have claimed that the midnight search was part of a drug investigation, however, the lawsuit filed by the family states there was no drug found at the home.
After the 26-0 vote in the council, a standing ovation broke and the crowd applauded the decision. Praising the decision, Tamika Palmer, Taylor's mother, spoke to the press after the vote along with the family's attorney, Benjamin Crump. "I'm just going to say that Breonna, that's all she wanted to do was save lives," Palmer said, as per an NBC report. She added, "So with this law, she'll get to continue to do that."
A string of tweets started doing the rounds on social media and people erupted with joy. "BREAKING: Metro council has passed Breonna’s law here in Louisville, which is now a TOTAL BAN on no-knock warrants. Bodycam videos are required to be on 5 minutes before and after the search. Anyone who violates it will be subject to disciplinary action," one tweet read and another said, "Breonna's Law passed unanimously by the Louisville Metro Council, 26-0. It bans no-knock warrants, which cops used to barge into her home and murder her. Now arrest the cops who killed her."
"I just got an email saying Breonna's Law passed that’s a victory right there," one Twitter user posted and another said, "So Breonna Taylor’s police report says there was no forced entry but yet they are passing Breonna’s law that bans no-knock entries. So if they didn’t knock then it was forced entry like huhhhhh. And how it say she has no injuries!!"
While people are happy, many are asking for the authorities to arrest the cops who violated Breonna's Law. "Okayyyyy but can they like arrest the people that violated Breonna's Law," one tweet read and another said, "I'm happy about Breonna's Law, but SHE NEEDS JUSTICE! I know everybody focused on George Floyd, but we can't forget, she hasn't gotten justice. Those officers on a long, paid vacation. #JusticeForBreonna." Another pointed out: "So they can pass Breonna's Law but still haven’t arrested her murderers."