City of Louisville Reaches ‘Substantial’ Settlement With Breonna Taylor’s Family

Breonna Taylor (Family Photo)

The city of Louisville has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Breonna Taylor’s family, six months after the EMT was fatally shot by police officers in March.

The city will pay a “substantial” settlement to Taylor’s mother and reform police practices as part of the settlement. The Louisville Courier Journal reported Tuesday that the settlement is for $12 million.

Later in the day, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced the terms of the settlement at a news conference with Taylor’s family and their attorneys. The agreement includes changes to the approval process for and execution of search warrants, a housing credit program to provide incentives for officers to live in certain low-income areas in the city and the expansion of random drug testing of officers. But the city is not required to admit wrongdoing in Taylor’s death.

“It is just an acknowledgment of the need for reform and the need for a settlement to take place,” Fischer said.

Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, told reporters much more needs to be done to end racial injustice in the U.S.

“As significant as today is,” Palmer said, “it’s only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna.”

Related Story: Oprah’s Magazine Puts Up 26 Billboards Demanding Justice for Breonna Taylor

Taylor was shot in her home when officers executed a “no-knock” warrant in a narcotics investigation on March 13. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was legally armed and said he believed the home was being broken into. Walker fired a shot and injured an officer, and police returned fire killing Taylor. The officers were not wearing body cameras, police said.

Taylor’s death sparked outrage and protests across the city, and led to nationwide cries for the arrest of the officers involved in the 26-year-old’s death. The state’s attorney general is investigating police actions.

Taylor’s mother filed the lawsuit in April. The suit alleged the police used flawed information when they obtained the “no-knock” warrant to enter Taylor’s apartment. She was shot multiple times and the police found no drugs in the home.

The lawsuit also accused three Louisville police officers of blindly firing into the apartment.


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