Words by Andre Kettle
On Sunday, Beyonce shared an open letter that she wrote addressed to the Kentucky Attorney General, Daniel Cameron, asking him to bring charges against the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor insider her home.
“Three months have passed – and the LMPD’s investigations have created more questions than answers,” writes the singer.
Bey didn’t only make a call for justice, but her letter included direct call-to-action:
Bring criminal charges against Jonathan Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison.
Commit to transparency in the investigation and prosecution of these officers’ criminal conduct.
Investigate the LMPD’s response to Breonna Taylor’s murder, as well the pervasive practices that result in the repeated deaths of unarmed Black citizens.
She also questions the incident report, stating that there were inconsistencies in the LMPD’s account of that night Breonna was murdered. Their incident report states that Ms. Taylor suffered no injuries, yet we know she was shot at least eight times,” the singer wrote. “The LMPD officers claim they announced themselves before forcing their way into Ms. Taylor’s apartment – but her boyfriend who was with her, as well as several neighbors, all say this is untrue.”
She concludes the letter writing, “With every death of a Black person at the hands of the police there are two real tragedies: the death itself and the inaction and delays that follow it. This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers. The next months can not look like the last three.”
At the bottom of the letter on the website, she linked two petitions that demanded the officers that were involved to be fired.
Last Thursday the Louisville Metro Council passed “Breonna’s Law,” which bans the city’s police department from using no-knock warrants and requires the use of officer body cameras whenever a warrant is served. Beyonce called the law a “small step in the right direction” but also a “painful” reminder that there has been “no justice for Breonna Taylor of her family.”
