Breonna Taylor’s mother: ‘A year later, we’re still asking for the system to do the right thing’
Tamika Palmer listens during a press conference held in front of Commonwealth Attorney Tom Wine’s office on 11 March, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky
(Getty Images)Breonna Taylor’s mother has spoken out to mark the one-year anniversary of her daughter’s killing at the hands of police, saying she’s still “asking the system to do the right thing”.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Tamika Palmer discussed upcoming demonstrations over the weekend aimed at demanding “justice” and “accountability” for her daughter’s death.
“I don’t want people to treat this as if we’re celebrating her,” she told ITV, before adding: “Because we’re not, it’s one year later and we’re still asking for the system to do the right thing.”
She said: “I’ve never seen something so black and white be so hard, nobody willing to stand up and do what’s right or be the first person to do the right thing.”
“The disregard for Black lives is insane,” Ms Palmer said.
Ms Taylor, a decorated Emergency Medical Technician, 26, was shot dead by police officers in her apartment in Louisville on 13 March last year during a botched drug raid.
Three police officers fired rounds into Ms Taylor’s home after forcefully entering her apartment in the middle of the night while carrying out a warrant, striking the 26-year-old.
Police said they opened fire after Ms Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who is a licensed gun owner, fired his gun once when officers attempted to enter, hitting one officer in the leg.
Mr Walker told police officers did not announce themselves and that he believed Ms Taylor’s ex-boyfriend was trying to break-in.
In the wake of Ms Taylor’s death, a grand jury formed by state Attorney General Daniel Cameron charged one officer with putting Ms Taylor’s neighbours in danger but issued no charges related to her death.
Two of the officers who fired shots were dismissed from the department, along with a detective who sought the warrant.
Ms Taylor’s family and the New York-based organisation Until Freedom have partnered to host several events over the weekend,The Courier Journal reported.
The events will include a large rally and march on Saturday in downtown Louisville beginning at 1pm EST at Jefferson Square Park.
In the wake of the killing, the city banned the use of ‘no-knock’ warrants last June, and officers are now required to wear body cameras while executing search warrants.
Louisville settled a lawsuit filed by Ms Palmer in September 2020 awarding her estate $12m and committing the city’s police department to reform and transparency measures.
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