Responding to the decision in the Breonna Taylor case today, Kristina Roth, the Senior Program Officer for Criminal Justice Programs at Amnesty International USA, said:
“Breonna Taylor’s death is a tragedy. She was asleep in her bed when the police busted down her door and recklessly opened fire, taking her life. Black people in America have the same right to be safe as all people, though this is hard to conceive when we think of the abhorrent killings of Breonna, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Dijon Kizzee and too many more.
“Breonna Taylor’s case reminds us of how Kentucky’s police use of lethal force statute puts accountability out of reach for unlawful killings by police — and how police, who are supposed to protect life, so frequently only see one side of that principle. This case must serve as a wake-up call to our elected officials that they must meet this moment with a bold agenda for police reform, one that brings about meaningful accountability, reimagines public safety and provides justice for all.
“We call on police to facilitate the right to peaceful protest in the wake of this news. Everyone has the right to take to the streets and make their voices heard, and police must meet their obligation under international law to enable that right.”
Background
Amnesty International USA letter to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron regarding the LMPD killing of Breonna Taylor.
People can learn more about police accountability and deadly force here.
