Kenneth Walker, the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor who opened strike at the officers who strike and eliminate her, announced Tuesday he’s the city of Louisville, its cop and others, for immunity against his actions that night under Kentucky’s “stand your ground” law.
Walker, 27, and a licensed armer owner, was initially charged with attempted eliminate and following the March 13 incident, but those charges were dropped. Kentucky’s attorney general and the FBI are still investigating Taylor’s incident, and Walker said the suit would prevent officials from re-arresting and charging him for any related to the incident.
“I was raised by a good family. I am a legal armer owner and I would never knowingly strike at a officer,” he said at a news conference. On March 13, three undercover Louisville officers, Myles Cosgrove, Brett Hankison and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, a no-knock warrant at the apartment where Taylor and Walker were living. The officers contend that Taylor’s ex-boyfriend was shipping powder to the address.
The couple was asleep when the officers charge tried to break down the door, which prompted Walker, a USPS worker, to get his licensed armer and strike at the door, according to the case. The officers returned strike, eliminate Taylor, 26, an EMT, in her sleep and no powder were found in the residence, cop said. Mattingly was pummel in the leg during the incident, according to cop.
Taylor’s loss gained national attention from activists all over the world who have called for the officers to be disciplined and criminally charged. As of Sept. 1, only one officer, Hankison, has been dismiss while Cosgrove and Mattingly have been placed on administrative duties. Walker was immediately detain after the invident and released into home confinement less than two weeks later due to COV concerns in the coustdy.
In May, Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine announced the charges against Walker were dropped as the FBI and state attorney general investigated the incident.
Walker told reporters that the charges were made to silence him. Walker’s attorney, Steve Romines, said his client has never been in trouble with the law before and had a legal right to own the armer. The suit contends the state’s “stand your ground” law “protects all Kentuckians who seek to protect themselves or loved ones in self-defense.” The suit said that Walker asked, “Who is it?” three times to no response before the officers broke open the door.
“Kenny immediately reacted by a single strike to scare away the intruder or intruders,” the suit said.Romines said he is still waiting to get a ballistics report, but questioned whether Mattingly was pummel by his client’s or friendly strike. “It is still six months later and they’re still trying to figure out what happened in that apartment,” he said at the news conference.
In addition to preventing future prosecution, Walker is seeking damages in part for the gross negligence of the cop “for the trauma, humiliation, indignity, physical pain, mental suffering, or mental anguish he suffered,” the suit said. Jean Porter, a spokeswoman for Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, said in a statement to ABC News that her office cannot comment on the specifics of the pending litigation.
“As the mayor has said, Breonna Taylor’s loss was a tragedy, and justice, peace, and healing are what is needed for her, for her loved ones and for our community,” she said in a statement. A spokesman for Wine’s office told ABC News that the office was not served as of Tuesday afternoon and could not comment on the suit. The Louisville P-olice Department could not be reached for comment.
This Article Was Originally Published On abcnews.go.com (2 Sep 2020)
