September 24 Breonna Taylor news

By Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 0557 GMT (1357 HKT) September 25, 2020
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7:47 p.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Protesters are marching through New York City tonight

From CNN's Rob Frehse

People listen to a speaker at a Black Lives Matters protest in a park in Brooklyn on September 24, in New York City.
People listen to a speaker at a Black Lives Matters protest in a park in Brooklyn on September 24, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Several hundred protesters marched through New York City tonight and chanted Breonna Taylor’s name.

Protesters carried banners and other signs with demands to defund police.

Taylor was shot to death after Louisville police officers broke down the door to her apartment while executing a warrant.

A grand jury decided to indict only one of the three officers involved on first-degree wanton endangerment charges. The charge applies to the risk put on Taylor's neighbors but does not aim to hold the officer responsible for her death.  

6:45 p.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Louisville mayor extends curfew through weekend

From CNN's Elizabeth Joseph

Kentucky Army National Guard soldiers stand guard during a protest in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday, September 24.
Kentucky Army National Guard soldiers stand guard during a protest in Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday, September 24. Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer extended the citywide curfew through the weekend, his office announced Thursday evening.

The curfew will continue to run from 9 p.m. ET to 6:30 a.m. ET.

“As the city continues its work to balance people’s First Amendment rights to peacefully protest with the duty to protect public safety, Mayor Greg Fischer said today that he is extending the countywide curfew through the weekend,” the statement said.

These government buildings will be closed until Monday:

  • Metro Hall and its annex
  • City Hall and its annex
  • Fiscal Court
  • The Sinking Fund
  • Louisville Metro Police Department headquarters
  • Metro Development and Metro Safe on South Fifth Street
  • Youth Detention Services
  • The Alexander Building on West Main
  • The Downtown Wellness Center on First Street 

6:33 p.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Massachusetts governor signs order activating National Guard if needed

From CNN's Laura Dolan

Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker speaks during a press conference in Boston on September 24.
Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker speaks during a press conference in Boston on September 24. Pool/WHDH

Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker signed an order Thursday activating members of his state’s National Guard Thursday ahead of any potential protests in the commonwealth.  

He approved up to 1,000 members of the Massachusetts National guard “to provide necessary assistance to State and local civilian authorities and/or special duty and emergency assistance for the preservation of live and property, preservation of order, and to afford protection to persons.”  

That number does not necessarily reflect the number of personnel who could be deployed at any given time, according to Jake Wark, the director of communications for the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security. 

Baker signed a similar order in late August but no municipal leaders utilized the guard and the order was canceled several days later.

4:34 p.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Officer indicted in Breonna Taylor case plans to plead not guilty, his attorney says

From CNN's Madeline Holcombe, Steve Almasy and Dakin Andone

Former Louisville Metro Police Det. Brett Hankison was released from jail Wednesday after surrendering to authorities and posting bond, his attorney Stew Matthews told CNN.
Former Louisville Metro Police Det. Brett Hankison was released from jail Wednesday after surrendering to authorities and posting bond, his attorney Stew Matthews told CNN. Shelby County Detention Center 

Former Det. Brett Hankison, the officer indicted on first-degree wanton endangerment charges in the Breonna Taylor case, intends to plead not guilty when he is arraigned, his attorney, Stew Matthews, told CNN.

Evidence in the case does not support the charges against his client, he added. The charge applies to the risk put on Taylor's neighbors but does not aim to hold the officer responsible for her death.

Hankison was booked Wednesday in the Shelby County Jail, posted a $15,000 bond and was released, Matthews said.

The long-anticipated announcement Wednesday was met by outrage and heartbreak from activists and community members, not only in Louisville but nationwide.

Taylor, a 26-year-old Black emergency room technician and aspiring nurse, was described by relatives as a hard-working, goal-oriented young woman who put an emphasis on family. Crump called demonstrations over her death "righteous anger."

12:57 p.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Louisville is working to release some information related to the Breonna Taylor investigation, mayor says

From CNN's Elizabeth Joseph

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer speaks during a press conference on Thursday, September 24.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer speaks during a press conference on Thursday, September 24. Office of Mayor Greg Fischer

The city of Louisville is working with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office and the FBI to "determine what we can release so it doesn't interfere with any of the ongoing investigations," Mayor Greg Fischer said in a news conference Thursday morning.

Fischer was responding to a reporter question about any plans by the mayor’s office to release information related to Breonna Taylor investigation now that the grand jury has reported its findings into the Jefferson County Circuit Court.

"What we want to do is get as much of this information out as soon as we can. There does need to be some redaction of names to protect individuals' identities in some of these cases, so that process has started and we hope to be able to announce further information on that soon," he said.

Some background: In an interview with CNN this morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear reiterated his call for Cameron to publicly release details regarding the grand jury’s examination of the Taylor case.

Watch Gov Beshear with Jim Sciutto:

11:55 a.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Louisville police officers shot during protests expected to recover, chief says

From CNN's Elizabeth Joseph

Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Robert Schroeder speaks during a press conference on Thursday, September 24.
Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Robert Schroeder speaks during a press conference on Thursday, September 24. WLKY

Officer Robinson Desroches and Major Aubrey Gregory — the two Louisville Metro Police Department officers shot Wednesday evening during protests over the Breonna Taylor case — are expected to recover from their injuries, Mayor Greg Fischer and LMPD Chief Robert Schroeder said in a press conference Thursday morning.

Gregory, who joined the LMPD in 1999, is a commander of the police department’s special operations division and was leading efforts on the ground Wednesday evening, Schroder said. He was treated in hospital and released for a gunshot wound to hip.

He has done a "tremendous job the past several months as one of the leaders of our protest efforts. In fact, some say he may the bedrock of our protest efforts," the police chief said. 

Desroches joined the LMPD in March 2019 and had to undergo surgery after being shot in the abdomen Wednesday. 

"We are extremely fortunate that these two officers will recover,” Schroeder said.

11:29 a.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Evidence against indicted officer does not support charges, attorney says

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch

The attorney for former Louisville police detective Brett Hankison tells CNN the evidence in the case does not support the charges against his client.

Hankison was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. The counts pertain to Hankison allegedly firing blindly into Breonna Taylor’s apartment through a door and window on March 13, with bullets entering an adjacent apartment and endangering those inside.

Attorney Stew Matthews told CNN his client plans to plead "not guilty" to the charges at his arraignment.

The other two officers who also fired shots during the botched March raid were not indicted, meaning no officer was charged with killing the 26-year-old Black emergency room technician and aspiring nurse.

Hankison surrendered on Wednesday afternoon, posted a $15,000 bond and was released, Matthews said. 

It is not immediately known when Hankison will make his first court appearance.

Matthews is no stranger to high-profile cases that involve police officers. He defended former University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing, who fatally shot a Black man during a traffic stop in 2015. 

After two mistrials in the Tensing case, prosecutors dismissed the murder indictment saying “there is not a likelihood of success at (a third) trial.

11:19 a.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Louisville police shooting suspect charged with assault and wanton endangerment of an officer

From CNN’s Tanika Gray and Elizabeth Joseph

26-year-old Larynzo Johnson has been arrested in connection with the shooting of two Louisville Metro Police Department officers, the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections confirmed to CNN.

He has been charged with two counts of first degree assault of an officer and 14 counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer.

Johnson will be arraigned at 10a Friday.

CNN has been unsuccessful in identifying his legal representatives.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and LMPD Chief Robert Schroeder are expected to address the arrest in a press conference Thursday morning.

 

11:12 a.m. ET, September 24, 2020

Kentucky attorney general should post Taylor's case details online for public to read, governor says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks with CNN on Thursday, September 24.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks with CNN on Thursday, September 24. CNN

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told CNN he has asked the state's Attorney General Daniel Cameron to post the details of the investigation and the grand jury proceedings online for the public to “see the facts themselves.”

“The challenge here is that the facts and the evidence have not been shared with the public. I trust the people of Kentucky with the truth. But they need to be able to see the truth, read the evidence, look over what grand jury may have seen or the investigators or the attorney general looked at,” he said.

“Let people read it. Put it out there. Trust people with the truth.”

More than six months after Taylor was shot to death when Louisville police officers broke down the door to her apartment while executing a warrant, a grand jury decided to indict one of the three officers involved on first-degree wanton endangerment charges. The charge applies to the risk put on Taylor's neighbors but does not aim to hold the officer responsible for her death.

Following the verdict, outrage boiled over into protests in cities across the US. Two officers were shot during the protests in Louisville, Kentucky.

Beshear said he spoke to one of the officers, who he said had a "very good" prognosis and was in good spirits, he told CNN. 

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