Kentucky governor's efforts to help storm-ravaged towns may dilute GOP advantage in rural areas
The time Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, has spent helping disaster-stricken places in the state like Mayfield rebuild could be a key to his reelection bid against Republican challenger Daniel Cameron, the stateโs attorney general.
Labor group requests ethics probe of Kentucky GOP gubernatorial candidate over campaign solicitation
A labor group has requested an ethics investigation of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron for soliciting and accepting campaign donations from a drug treatment organization under scrutiny by his office.
In wake of floods, typical barbs at Kentucky political event
While Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was consoling families displaced by historic flooding in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, Republicans at the stateโs premier political event on the other side of the state were campaigning to oust him from office in 2023.
Court to hear bid for new defense of Kentucky abortion law
The underlying issue in the case, to be heard in the fall, is a blocked Kentucky law that abortion rights supporters say would have effectively banned a standard abortion method in the second trimester of pregnancy. AdFive days later, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to strike down an unrelated Louisiana law regulating abortion clinics. But Cameron, who became attorney general in 2019, said the reasoning used by the high court called into question the ruling against the Kentucky law. The appeals court, however, rejected his efforts to intervene, prompting his appeal to the Supreme Court. In February, Kentucky's Republican-led legislature gave Cameron the power to seek civil and criminal penalties for any violation of Kentuckyโs abortion laws.
Federal look into Breonna Taylor's death casts a wider net
The three Louisville police officers who fired their guns in the fatal raid at Breonna Taylors apartment avoided homicide charges. A federal investigation of the shooting that has been quietly proceeding could be their last chance. One officer was struck, and he and two other officers fired 32 shots into the apartment, striking Taylor five times. AdDespite disappointment with the grand jury outcome, there is โcautious and guarded hopeโ that the federal investigation could bring some measure of justice, community activist Christopher 2X said. The FBIโs Louisville office has declined to provide details of the federal investigation into the Taylor shooting while it is ongoing.
Kentucky governor wants to move on from impeachment effort
The committee wrapped up its review of a flurry of impeachment efforts targeting the top levels of Kentucky government in Frankfort. It recommended that the governor and the state's Republican attorney general โ another impeachment target โ not face removal from office. AdThe panelโs recommendation that no further action be taken on petitions against Beshear and Cameron will be submitted to the Republican-dominated House. Beshear touched on the issue in urging lawmakers to put the impeachment effort to rest. The House Impeachment Committee reached its decision late Tuesday after the latest in a series of long meetings, mostly behind closed doors.
Impeachment fever hits Kentucky with efforts to oust leaders
FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2020 file photo, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron addresses the media following the return of a grand jury investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor, in Frankfort, Ky. Impeachment fever has struck Kentucky. It's a card rarely played in any serious way in the Bluegrass State, though Kentucky has had its share of provocative elected officials. Kentucky law requires the speaker to send impeachment petitions to a committee but doesnโt require it to take any action. Beshear vowed not to be intimidated then, and he's taken the same stance on the impeachment petition. An impeachment trial is held in the Senate, where the votes of two-thirds of senators present are required for conviction.
Official: Rifle shell casings found at Breonna Taylor scene
The Kentucky Attorney General said in October that two long rifle shell casings were also found at the scene after the police raid that killed Taylor. It's the first time these specific shell casings have been mentioned by authorities investigating Taylor's death. The FBI has both shell casings โfor purposes of testing,โ according to the court filing. The one-page filing does not say why the shell casings would be favorable to Hankison's defense. Hankison's attorney, Stewart Matthews, told WDRB-TV in Louisville that he doesn't know where the shell casings came from.
Grand juror speaks after judge ruling in Breonna Taylor case
LOUISVILLE โ A grand juror in the Breonna Taylor case is speaking out after a Louisville judge cleared the way for the the panel's members to talk publicly about the secretive proceedings. The grand jury charged one officer with endangering her neighbors. The grand jury asked questions about bringing other charges against the officers, โand the grand jury was told there would be none because the prosecutors didn't feel they could make them stick,โ the grand juror said. Grand juries are typically secret meetings, though earlier this month the audio recordings of the proceedings in the Taylor case were released publicly. Cameron announced the results of the grand jury investigation in a widely viewed news conference on Sept. 23.
Breonna Taylor case: Dispute arises over grand jury secrecy
The dispute over grand jury secrecy arose Wednesday, the same day police files were released showing contacts between Taylor and a man she dated previously who was suspected of drug dealing. None of the white officers was directly charged with Taylor's death by the grand jury last month, triggering renewed street protests. He said in a statement that grand jury proceedings are kept confidential by legal precedent to protect the safety and anonymity of all involved โ grand jurors, witnesses and others. Cameron determined before the grand jury proceedings that the officers had acted in self-defense. He has acknowledged that he did not recommend murder charges to the grand jury.
Grand jury audio details raid that killed Breonna Taylor
Hours of material in the grand jury proceedings for Taylors fatal shooting by police have been made public on Friday, Oct. 2. When police came through the door using a battering ram, Taylorโs boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired once. On the March night in question, police arrived after midnight at Taylor's apartment with a narcotics warrant to search the home. Another man gave three differing accounts โ in two of them saying he heard officers identify themselves. No one else entered Taylor's apartment until a SWAT team arrived โ even as she lay bleeding.
Breonna Taylor grand jury recordings to be released Friday
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ A Kentucky judge has delayed until Friday the release of secret grand jury proceedings in Breonna Taylorโs killing by police, so that prosecutors can edit out witnessesโ names and personal information. Taylor was shot and killed in her Louisville home by police who were executing a narcotics warrant in March. The grand jury decided this month not to charge any of the police officers involved with her death; instead, one officer was charged with shooting into a neighboring home. Activists and Taylorโs family called for the grand jury file to be released. Facing questions about the grand jury this week, Cameron acknowledged that he did not recommend homicide charges for the officers involved.
AG agrees to release grand jury tapes in Breonna Taylor case
LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ Kentuckyโs attorney general has agreed to release the recordings of the secret grand jury proceeding that considered charges against three officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor. Attorney General Daniel Cameron agreed to the release hours after a member of the grand jury sued to have the record of the proceedings opened to the public. Cameron also said in a statement that the only charge he recommended to the grand jury was wanton endangerment. He had previously declined to provide details on what charges prosecutors brought to the grand jury to consider when it met last week. Last week, the grand jury in Louisville issued charges against one of the officers for endangering neighbors of Taylor who had bullets fired into their home.
DPD chief, AG Dana Nessel weigh in on decision in Breonna Taylorโs death
DETROIT โ Detroit Police Chief James Craig has been very vocal about the racial tension in the United States from George Floyd to Breonna Taylor. โThe death of Breonna Taylor is a tragedy. Breonna Taylor was killed by police when they executed a search warrant at her apartment. That charge applies to the risk put on Taylorโs neighbors but doesnโt hold the officer responsible for Taylorโs death. They decided that the walls of the apartment matter and Breonna Taylorโs life didnโt matter," Davis said.
Kentucky Senate candidates take up Breonna Taylor case
(AP Photo/Claire Galofaro)LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ Democrat Amy McGrath called for fundamental change to combat โsystemic racism" as the Senate candidate met Thursday with some of the Kentucky protesters seething over a grand jury's decision not to charge officers in the killing of Breonna Taylor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, her Republican opponent, said peaceful protests offer a way to honor Taylor's memory. Nationwide protests over the deaths of Blacks by police have been a simmering issue with just weeks left in the bitter, big-spending Kentucky Senate campaign. On Thursday, McConnell and McGrath weighed in on fallout from the decision not to charge officers for killing Taylor โ a case that garnered global attention. Meanwhile, McConnell said Cameron had done โthe kind of thorough, impartial investigation that justice demands" in the Taylor case.
In Taylor case, limits of law overcome calls for justice
The outcome demonstrates the vast disconnect between widespread public expectation of justice and the limits of the law when police use deadly force. The grand jury's decision was swiftly condemned by activists, celebrities and others as a shocking miscarriage of justice. What we have is a series of events that culminated in the use of self defenseโ both by Taylor's boyfriend and the officers, said Jan Waddell, a Louisville defense attorney. The FBI is still investigating potential violations of federal law in the case. โI think thatโs going to be a difficult case for the prosecution to prevail on if this goes to trial,โ he said.
Q&A: What were the results of Breonna Taylor investigation?
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ Six months after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police in her Kentucky apartment, a grand jury delivered a long-awaited answer about whether the officers would be punished. Some questions and answers about Cameron's findings in the Breonna Taylor case:WHO WAS BREONNA TAYLOR? HOW MANY TIMES WAS BREONNA TAYLOR SHOT? WHY WAS NO ONE CHARGED WITH SHOOTING BREONNA TAYLOR? Cameron said state law โbars us from seeking charges in Breonna Taylor's death.โ Cameron also said there was no conclusive evidence that any of Hankison's 10 gunshots hit Taylor inside her home.
Dismay over Breonna Taylor spills into Americaโs streets
Authorities pleaded for calm while activists vowed to fight on Thursday in Kentucky's largest city, where a gunman wounded two police officers during anguished protests following the decision not to charge officers for killing Breonna Taylor. โThe question obviously is: What do we do with this pain?โ Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said during a news conference. Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers after Taylor's boyfriend fired at them, authorities said. Police entered on a warrant connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Q&A: What were the results of Breonna Taylor investigation?
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ Six months after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police in her Kentucky apartment, a grand jury delivered a long-awaited answer about whether the officers would be punished. Some questions and answers about Cameron's findings in the Breonna Taylor case:WHO WAS BREONNA TAYLOR? HOW MANY TIMES WAS BREONNA TAYLOR SHOT? WHY WAS NO ONE CHARGED WITH SHOOTING BREONNA TAYLOR? Cameron said state law โbars us from seeking charges in Breonna Taylor's death.โ Cameron also said there was no conclusive evidence that any of Hankison's 10 gunshots hit Taylor inside her home.
In Taylor case, limits of law overcome calls for justice
The outcome demonstrates the vast disconnect between widespread public expectation of justice and the limits of the law when police use deadly force. Taylorโs boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was with her at the apartment and fired a shot at Louisville police Sgt. The officer who shot into a neighbor's apartment was the one who was charged with a felony. The grand jury's decision was swiftly condemned by activists, celebrities and others as a shocking miscarriage of justice. โI think thatโs going to be a difficult case for the prosecution to prevail on if this goes to trial,โ he said.
Black attorney general chokes up during Taylor announcement
Kentuckyโs Black attorney general choked up Wednesday when explaining why a grand jury didn't seek criminal charges against police officers for Breonna Taylorโs death โ but his sympathetic words fell on many deaf ears. Attorney General Daniel Cameron cited his own family in seeking to convey that he understood some people in Louisville and across the country would be angry at the jury's decision Wednesday. โMy heart breaks for the loss of Miss Taylor,โ Cameron said. "If Daniel Cameron was not in that position, he would be like any other Black man: at risk. People like Daniel Cameron are dangerous because they give the illusion of change, in its absence.โ___Adams Wagner reported from Decatur, Georgia.
LIVE: Protests in Louisville after no officers charged in Breonna Taylor death
Protesters began marching through the streets of Louisville, where Taylor was killed, after the announcement, shouting โNo justice, no peace.โ Some sat quietly and cried. Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by officers who entered her home on a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. Protesters in Louisville and across the country have demanded justice for Taylor and other Black people killed by police in recent months. Several prominent African American celebrities including Oprah and Beyoncรฉ have joined those urging that the officers be charged. ___This story has been updated to clarify that, according to the investigation, officers did not execute the warrant as a no-knock warrant, not that they didnโt use a no-knock warrant.
Celebs, long vocal about Breonna Taylor case, decry decision
Itโs time for some people to go to jail.โ - Queen Latifah, recording artist and actor, in an interview with The Associated Press. Ask yourself โWhy so long for Breonna Taylor?โโ - Stevie Wonder, in a video message. โMy heart is broken for the family of Breonna Taylor. once again weโre left with nothing that they try to make seem as somethingโ - Ella Mai, recording artist, via Twitter. โBrett Hankison is indicted for shooting into the apartment NEXT to Breonna Taylor & not for KILLING HER.
Grand jury indicts 1 officer on criminal charges in fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor
A woman reacts to news in the Breonna Taylor shooting, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. A grand jury has indicted one officer on criminal charges six months after Taylor was fatally shot by police in Kentucky. The jury presented its decision against fired officer Brett Hankison Wednesday to a judge in Louisville, where the shooting took place. A grand jury announced that Officer Brett Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment in connection to the police raid on the night of March 13. Neither the grand jury nor the presiding judge elaborated on the charges. Protesters have consistently pressured him to act, and celebrities and pro athletes had joined them in calling on the attorney general to charge the police who shot Taylor.
Watch live: Grand jury announces charges against officer in Breonna Taylor case
LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ BREAKING UPDATE: On Wednesday the Jefferson County grand jury announced criminal charges against an officer months after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police in Kentucky. Read more: Grand jury indicts 1 officer on criminal charges in fatal shooting of Breonna TaylorTaylor, a Black emergency medical worker, was shot by officers who burst into her home using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. Watch live below:Written by the Associated PressLOUISVILLE, Ky. โ A grand jury in Kentucky was scheduled to present its findings to a judge Wednesday in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers who burst into her home at night. Afterward, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron planned to hold a news conference to discuss the grand jury report. Taylor, a Black emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by officers who entered her home using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation on March 13.
2 Louisville officers shot amid Breonna Taylor protests
He says the officers were shot after investigating reports of gunfire at an intersection where there was a large crowd. Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers who entered her home during a narcotics investigation. State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said that while the officers had a no-knock warrant, the investigation showed they announced themselves before entering. But Cameron, who is the state's first Black attorney general, said the officers acted in self-defense after Taylor's boyfriend fired at them. ___This story has been updated to clarify that, according to the investigation, officers did not execute the warrant as a no-knock warrant, not that they didnโt use a no-knock warrant.
Kentucky city prepares for Breonna Taylor announcement
Officials in Louisville were preparing Tuesday for more protests and possible unrest as the public nervously awaits the state attorney generals announcement about whether he will charge officers in Breonna Taylors shooting death. Taylor's shooting has been followed by months of protests in the city. But some involved in protests seeking justice for Taylor questioned why the police were going to such โoverkillโ lengths when the city has been the site of peaceful protests for months. Large protests over Taylorโs death that at times became violent erupted in late May in the city but most demonstrations since then have been peaceful. Last week, the city of Louisville settled a lawsuit from Taylorโs family for $12 million and pledged several police reforms as part of the agreement.
Police cancel vacations; prepare for Breonna Taylor decision
LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ Louisville, Kentucky, police said Monday that they had canceled vacations and were setting up barricades in preparation for the state attorney general's announcement about whether he will charge officers in Breonna Taylor's shooting death. โIt is important to note that (Cameron) has said there is no timetable for the announcement,โ the statement added. โWhen the investigation concludes and a decision is made, we will provide an update about an announcement,โ he said. Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot eight times on March 13 by officers who entered her home using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. Celebrities, athletes, activists and Taylorโs family have for months pushed Cameron to criminally charge the officers involved in the raid.
LIVE COVERAGE: Republican National Convention Day 2
All rights reserved)WASHINGTON Watch live coverage of the Republican National Convention as President Donald Trump is officially nominated as the partys candidate for president. Featured speakers include: First lady Melania Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen. Rand Paul, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuez, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Abby Johnson, Jason Joyce, Myron Lizer, Mary Ann Mendoza, Megan Pauley, Cris Peterson, John Peterson, Nicholas Sandmann, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump. Watch the coverage at 8 p.m.:
Kentucky attorney general meets with Breonna Taylor's family
Taylor was shot multiple times March 13 when police officers burst into her Louisville apartment using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. (AP Photo/Dylan T. Lovan)LOUISVILLE, Ky. Kentuckys attorney general, facing increasing pressure to charge police who fatally shot Breonna Taylor, met with the family Wednesday morning, according to his office, which released few details. Attorney General Daniel Cameron met with Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer, and other family members "to personally express his condolences, according to a news release. The state's first African American attorney general, Cameron took over the case after the local prosecutor recused himself. Taylors family and high profile celebrities from LeBron James to Oprah Winfrey have called for three police officers who were at her home to be charged with her killing.
Winfrey demanding justice for Breonna Taylor with billboards
(Photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar via AP)LOUISVILLE, Ky. First, Oprah Winfrey put Breonna Taylor on the cover of O, The Oprah Magazine. Now the media mogul is spreading her message with billboards demanding justice for the Kentucky woman shot to death during a police raid. Twenty-six billboards are going up across Louisville, Kentucky, demanding that the police officers involved in Taylor's death be arrested and charged, according to news outlets. Global protests on behalf of Taylor, George Floyd in Minnesota and others have been part of a national reckoning over racism and police brutality. The decision whether to bring state-level criminal charges against the Louisville officers rests with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Experts: Obstacles to charging police in Breonna Taylor case
Slobogin said attorneys for the officers would certainly raise the warrant as a defense in a criminal case. Taylors boyfriend, Kenny Walker, was with her at the apartment and fired a shot at Louisville police Sgt. Taylor, unarmed, was shot several times in her hallway and died on the scene. Sam Aguiar, an attorney for Taylors family who is suing the three officers, said the police shot an innocent person. Louisvilles top criminal prosecutor, who recused himself from the Taylor investigation, has pointed to the confusion over whether Taylor and Walker knew the police were at the door.
Felony charge against Breonna Taylor protesters dropped
Cameron said he still has no timeline for when his office will conclude its investigation of the case.About two dozen protestors were arrested. (Mary Ann Gerth/Courier Journal via AP)LOUISVILLE, Ky. A prosecutor announced Friday that he is dropping a felony charge against dozens of protesters who gathered at the Kentucky Attorney General's home to demand justice in Breonna Taylor's death. Many protests in recent weeks have pushed for Cameron to move swiftly to charge three officers in Taylor's killing. 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.
Kentucky capitol rally urges action in Breonna Taylor death
Calls for action against the officers have gotten louder during a national reckoning over racism and police brutality following George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. (Photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar via AP)FRANKFORT, Ky. Hundreds of people rallied at Kentucky's capitol on Thursday to urge action in the investigation of three officers in the fatal police shooting of a Black woman, Breonna Taylor, at her Louisville home. Taylor's family, hip hop artists and civil rights lawyers addressed a large crowd on the steps of the capitol to mark 100 days since Taylor was killed. Taylor was killed in the sanctity of her own home, said civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, who is representing Taylor's family. Kenneth Walker, Taylor's boyfriend, also appeared at the rally.