Celebrities arrested at Breonna Taylor protest at Kentucky attorney general's house in Louisville
07/15/2020 1:51 pm PDT
UPDATE July 17, 2020:
The Associated Press reports Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell announced Friday that he is dropping a felony charge against dozens of protesters who gathered at the Kentucky Attorney General's home in Louisville to demand justice in Breonna Taylor's death.
O'Connell said in a statement that Louisville Police had probable cause for the felony charge, but “in the interest of justice and the promotion of the free exchange of ideas, we will dismiss that charge” for each of the protesters.
Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot when police officers burst into her Louisville apartment using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. The warrant to search her home was in connection with a suspect who did not live there and no drugs were found.
MORE: Felony charge against Breonna Taylor protesters dropped - AP
July 15, 2020:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) -- Three celebrities were among 87 people charged at a demonstration in support of Breonna Taylor outside Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's home in Louisville on Tuesday.
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Porsha Williams; Yandy Smith, a cast member on the reality show “Love & Hip Hop”; and NFL Houston Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills were charged with other protesters with intimidating a participant in a legal process, a class D felony, and criminal trespass, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. Several people also were charged with disorderly conduct.
Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by LMPD officers who served a drug warrant at her apartment in March. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, said he first shot at the officers, whom he believed were intruders, when the officers shot back, striking and killing Taylor. Walker was not hurt.
Protests first started in the Louisville area in late May in support of Taylor while calling for charges to be filed against the three officers involved in her death. Recently, protesters also have targeted Cameron, the Louisville Metro Police Department and Mayor Greg Fischer.
The intimidated participant in this case is Cameron himself. Cameron, who was not home at the time of the demonstration in his yard, released a statement criticizing the actions of Tuesday's protesters.
On June 19, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville Metro Police are initiating termination of Officer Brett Hankison, one of three LMPD officers to fire weapons on March 13 at Breonna Taylor's apartment, killing her.
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