A press conference on a 'substantial' settlement for Breonna Taylor's family in a civil suit against the city of Louisville is about to begin.
Here's background: courier-journal.com/story/news/loc…
The conference is being held indoors, reducing the number of people who can be present. Right now, local livestreamers have been prevented from entering. Attorney Sam Aguiar has volunteered to give up his spot so one can go in.
The livestreamers: courier-journal.com/story/news/loc…
Tara Bassett is an experienced television and radio journalist. She's live here: facebook.com/taratalent/vid…
Tara is going inside now. Chea Woolfolk is live outside: facebook.com/TheRealCheaK.W…
Mayor Fischer about to go live here: facebook.com/watch/live/?v=…
.@louisvillemayor says as part of settlement, Louisville Metro Gov agrees to make several policy changes:
1. Establish a housing credit program to incentivize officers to live within low-income census tracts within the city
2. Create a program to include social workers at LMPD
3. Require a commanding officer to review and approve all search warrants
4. Implement an 'early warning system' that monitors citizen complaints and other factors
The settlement includes a payment to Breonna Taylor's estate of $12 million.
Lonita Baker, an attorney for Breonna Taylor's family, says a financial settlement was "nonnegotiable" without significant police reform.
"And that's what we were able to do today."
"We do thank Mayor Fischer and his team for committing to the reform that is unheard of in these cases," Baker said
But the reforms are not enough alone to achieve justice
"We finished the first mile in a marathon. And we've got a lot more miles to go to cross that finish line"
Ben Crump, who also represents Breonna Taylor's family, says "Regardless of this landmark step on the journey to justice, we still are demanding that Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron bring charges immediately against the officers that murdered Breonna Taylor."
"We see that there are two justice systems in America. One for Black America and one for white America. In Louisville, Kentucky, we took significant steps today in the name of Breonna Taylor, trying to correct this broken criminal justice system," Crump said.
Gonna drop this here as a reminder: courier-journal.com/story/news/cri…
.@KeturahHerron to Tamika Palmer: "You deserve closure. You deserve rest. You deserve to be cared for and loved on and supported for the rest of your days. I am grateful you have reached this point of some closure in some of the ways you have asked for."
"We know we are not only fighting against the deadly violence that is integral to policing. We are fighting for a completely different vision of being in community together. We are creating something different." @KeturahHerron
.@louisvillemayor says the settlement was on a different track than any decision from the Kentucky AG's office.
Question about what happens if reforms aren't implemented.
@louisvillemayor: "We need to work with both parties to make sure that it is implemented. Some of them can be done within the police department themselves."
The settlement does not say any wrongdoing was done, @louisvillemayor says.
"It's just an acknowledgement of the need for reform and the need for a settlement to take place."
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