PRAYING FOR AND DEMANDING JUSTICE
While we are still attempting to make sense of the senseless murder of Ahmaud Arbery, it was revealed that Breonna Taylor was murdered in her house in Louisville, Kentucky by police officers in the early morning of March 13, 2020.
Breonna was an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) who worked at emergency rooms in two hospitals. On the night of her murder, she was was asleep in her home. According to Lieutenant Ted Eidem, of the Public Integrity Unit which is leading the investigation, “…officers knocked on the door several times, and announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant.” The officers forced entry into the exterior door and was immediately met with gunfire. One officer was hit and returned fire, then the other officers returned fire.
As we would expect, there are several unanswered questions to the police account of what occurred. According to Breonna’s family’s lawsuit, the police did not identify themselves as police officers. I looked at the actual search warrant signed on March 12, 2020, requested by the Affiant, Detective Joshua C. Jaynes, and it reads:
15.) Affiant is requesting a No-Knock entry to the premises due to the nature of how these drug traffickers operate. These drug traffickers have a history of attempting to destroy evidence, have cameras on the location that compromise Detectives once an approach to the dwelling is made, and have a history of fleeing from law enforcement.
Therefore, it does not appear honest and reasonable to me that the, “officers knocked on the door several times, and announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant.” Since the search warrant is a “No-Knock” warrant because they did not want evidence destroyed, why would they knock on the door several times, and announce their presence as police who were there with a search warrant? Does that appear honest and reasonable to you?
Second, since the police officers did not knock on the door and announce their presence, does not Breonna and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, have the Constitutional right to defend themselves from what they believed to be criminals entering their home to do harm? Kenneth is a legally licensed gun owner.
Third, and most disturbing, the police officers were not looking for Breonna and Kenneth (neither of them were included in the warrant), the suspect that they were seeking was already in custody having been arrested earlier that day, there were no drugs found in the house and neither of them had a criminal history of drugs or violence.
Over 20 shots were fired, some into neighboring apartments, with Breonna being was shot 8 times.
Breonna is described as a decorated EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) who lived her life in service to and for others. Her mother further says, “She had a whole plan on becoming a nurse and buying a house and then starting a family. Breonna had her head on straight, and she was a very decent person.”
Again, justice will never be given unless we demand it. It is time for the Radical and Revolutionary Black Church to stand up. We will continue this conversation…
MAY 17, 2020
PASTOR CHILDS, D. MIN.
