LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend has settled two lawsuits against the city of Louisville over the shooting that led to her death.
On Monday, Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker’s attorneys said Monday that Walker has settled his two lawsuits against the city of Louisville, according to The Associated Press. Walker reportedly fired a shot at police when they came through Taylor’s door.
The city of Louisville agrees to pay $2 million to settle both lawsuits that Walker had filed in federal and state court, according to a written statement from one of Walker’s attorneys, Steve Romines, that the AP obtained.
Walker’s attorneys said that part of the settlement money Walker receives will be put into a scholarship fund for law school students interested in practicing civil rights law, according to the AP. Another part will go to the Center for Innovations in Community Safety which is a police and community reform at Georgetown Law School.
According to the AP, Walker and Taylor were getting ready for bed when “they were roused,” by knocking at Taylor’s apartment door just around midnight on March 13, 2020. Police had a drug warrant and were outside the apartment. Officers used a “battering ram” in order to knock down the door.
Walker reportedly fired one gunshot from a handgun, hitting Sgt. John Mattingly’s leg, according to the AP. Two other officers and Mattingly reportedly opened fire which led to Taylor’s death.
Walker was charged with attempted murder of a police officer at first, according to the AP. Charges were dropped eventually after protests and media attention grew around Taylor’s case. Walker also reportedly told investigators that he had no idea that behind the door were police officers, thinking it was an intruder.
U.S. Justice Department prosecutors charged three Louisville officers earlier in this year with conspiracy to falsify the warrant used at Taylor’s apartment that evening, according to the AP. Former Louisville officer Kelly Goodlett pled guilty and reportedly admitted to assisting in creating “a false link between Taylor and a wanted drug dealer.” Two other former officers, Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany are scheduled for trial in federal court in 2023.
A $12 million settlement was paid out by the city of Louisville to Taylor’s mother Tamika Palmer, back in Sept. 2020, according to the AP.
©2022 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
