October, 05 2020, 12:00am EDT

Grand Jury Recordings Reveal How Kentucky A.G. Let Cops Get Away With Murder of Breonna Taylor
Scott Roberts, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Campaigns at Color Of Change, issued this statement following the release of grand jury recordings in the Breonna Taylor case:
"When a Kentucky grand jury failed to charge Louisville officers for the murder of Breonna Taylor, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was quick to absolve himself. Local and national activists demanded accountability and transparency from his office, but Attorney General Cameron insisted that the decision rested with the grand jury and was completely out of his hands.
WASHINGTON
Scott Roberts, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Campaigns at Color Of Change, issued this statement following the release of grand jury recordings in the Breonna Taylor case:
"When a Kentucky grand jury failed to charge Louisville officers for the murder of Breonna Taylor, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was quick to absolve himself. Local and national activists demanded accountability and transparency from his office, but Attorney General Cameron insisted that the decision rested with the grand jury and was completely out of his hands.
"In the past week, however, we've learned that Attorney General Cameron did not only gravely misrepresent the grand jury proceedings; he declined to even consider murder charges for the three officers that killed Bre. These grand jury recordings reveal just how intent he was on protecting these officers from the consequences of their deadly actions -- and fooling the American people with a sham trial -- instead of pursuing real justice. As police continue to inflict violence on Black people in the streets, in their communities, and in their own homes, these recordings paint a horrific portrait of how Attorney General Cameron let cops get away with murder.
"But getting the truth about what happened shouldn't be this hard. Bre was murdered more than six months ago, yet details about the investigation are still coming to light. Attorney General Cameron is clearly incapable of running a full and fair investigation into police brutality and misconduct. We demand that a new special prosecutor take over this case.
"Beyond that, however, we must take steps to dismantle a policing system that glorifies and gets away with unconscionable violence. We are continuing to fight for investments in community-based public safety solutions that protect and affirm Black lives, and we're demanding that local officials divest from the police."
Color Of Change is the nation's largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over one million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.
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