Louisville Reaches $12 Million Settlement With Breonna Taylor’s Family

Breonna Taylor's mother Tamika Palmer (C), addresses the media over the speed of the investigation of her daughter's death as attorney Benjamin Crump (L), and co-counsel Lonita Baker look on outside Louisville City Hall in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 13, 2020. John Sommers II/Getty Images

The city of Louisville reached a $12 million settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor, lawyers for the family and the city announced Tuesday.

“Breonna Taylor’s life matters. Breonna Taylor’s life continues to matter, as you see here today,” Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell told reporters at a press conference about the settlement.

“It has been so long getting to this day, where we could ensure that Breonna Taylor’s life wouldn’t be swept under the rug, like so many other black women in America who have been killed by police,” Benjamin Crump, one of the family’s lawyers, added at the briefing.

Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, called the settlement (pdf) a step in the right direction.

“As significant as today is, it’s only the beginning in getting full justice for Breonna,” she said.

Palmer called investigating authorities to move forward on criminal charges against the officers involved in the shooting.

Taylor, 26, was fatally shot when police officers served a search warrant at her home in March.

A demonstrator holds a sign with the image of Breonna Taylor in Denver, Colo., on June 3, 2020. Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images

Attorney’s for Taylor’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year, arguing police officers “had no probable cause or other legal basis to enter and search” her home.

Gunfire was exchanged between the officers and Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who was charged with attempted murder. The charge was later dropped.

Taylor’s case is being examined by federal, state, and local investigators.

The top FBI agent in the city told activists in July that the investigation was the bureau’s “top priority” but stressed the need to take ample time to handle such a “complex” probe.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s office is conducting a separate investigation, as is the Louisville City Council into Fischer’s handling of the case.

The three officers involved in the case were placed on administrative reassignment.

One of them, Brett Hankison, was later fired.

Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the officer “displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life when you wantonly and blindly fired ten (10) rounds into the apartment of Breonna Taylor.”

In addition to the financial payment to Taylor’s family, the city of Louisville said it will or has establish a housing credit program to incentivize police officers to live within a certain area as their primary residence, reform the search warrant procedures, and expand random drug testing of officers to at least once a year.