'#SayHerName, Justice for Breonna Taylor': Release date, plot, creators and all you need to know about the BET news special
Following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man, at the hands of police brutality, people from across the nation swarmed the streets in a wave of protests that still continues. Amid the call for justice for Floyd, protesters chanted the Black Lives Matter anthem, alongside the name of other fallen Black individuals who met an unfair end. One among the incessant demands was justice for 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, a medical worker, who was shot and killed by Louisville police, Kentucky, at her own home in March. Her death sparked protests in the city, which were emblazoned by the George Floyd protests, and the officers that perpetrated her killing are still roaming free. Now BET is airing a news special, titled '#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor' that explores the importance of the movement itself and the impact Breonna's untimely death has had on the community. Here is everything you need to know about it.
Release date
'#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor' will premiere Saturday, August 22, at 9 pm ET/PT on BET Her. An encore presentation will air on August 29 at 11 pm ET/PT on BET.
Plot
Just after midnight, on March 13, Louisville police officers executed a search warrant or a no-knock warrant’ allowing them to forcibly enter the home of Breonna Taylor, an emergency room technician. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, had been asleep in bed, awakened by the loud banging. After a brief confrontation, Walker fired his gun. The police, in return, also fired several shots that struck Taylor, fatally wounding her. The police had been on the hunt for two men who they believed were selling drugs from a house that was far from Taylor’s vicinity. However, they believed that one of the two men had used her apartment to receive packages. A judge signed the no-knock warrant and the police entered Taylor’s home without warning and without identifying themselves as law enforcement.
No drugs were found in the apartment, and the news of her death agitated the public. By the next day crowds of people had gathered in the streets holding demonstrations and calling for the officers responsible for her death, Louisville Metro Police Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Officer Myles Cosgrove, and former Officer Brett Hankison, to be prosecuted. To this day, more than three months later, no arrests have been made with regard to Taylor’s death. In the wake of the George Floyd protests, however, Louisville officials have banned the use of no-knock warrants and on June 23, one of the officers involved in the shooting was fired.
'#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor' is a one-hour news special brought to you by BET Her, which explores the significance of revolutionary movements like #SayHerName and examines how Taylor’s murder draws focus to the lack of awareness around Black women victims of police brutality and discrimination. It will feature panel conversations with leaders at the frontline of the movement, including six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, award-winning rapper and actor Common, renowned journalist Jemele Hill, author Dr Brittney Cooper, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Grazia.
In addition to the panel discussion, '#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor' will also provide viewers with several actionable steps to prompt change and demand #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor. Throughout the broadcast, specific calls to action will be made available to the public, including Dial 844-298-2731 to demand Louisville City Leadership get #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor via Color of Change; Check your voter registration status and register to vote at Vote.Org; Sign the Justice For Breonna Taylor petition today on Change.Org. CALL Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron at 502-696-5300 and demand he charges the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor via Until Freedom, and post on social media using #SayHerName and #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor to raise awareness about Breonna's case.
Creators
Produced by NBA star Kyrie Irving, the 60-minute program is supported by Color of Change, Vote.org, Until Freedom, Black Future's Lab, The Gathering For Justice, MoveOn, Vera Institute For Justice, Harness, ACLU, Campaign Zero, Imagine Justice and PlayersTV. ‘#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor,’ is a part BET’s list of programs produced from its media-focused initiative Content For Change.’ The initiative is aimed at addressing pressing issues of systemic racism and inequities in America, including racial justice, economic empowerment, education, health and civic participation.
Trailer
We will update this space with the official trailer for '#SayHerName, Justice For Breonna Taylor' soon.
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