Beyoncé writes letter in support of Breonna Taylor, Black Lives Matter movement

Beyoncé sends letter to Kentucky attorney seeking justice for Breonna Taylor.

Beyoncé takes action by sending a letter to a Kentucky attorney general demanding justice for Breonna Taylor on Sunday. Taylor was killed in her home when police officers from Louisville Metro Police Department forced their way in her home with a “no-knock” warrant and fired over 20 shots, at least eight hitting Taylor. Seeking justice for Taylor, Beyoncé sends a letter to Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

“Your office has both the power and the responsibility to bring justice to Breonna Taylor, and demonstrate the value of a Black woman’s life. I urge you to use that power,” Beyoncé said in her letter.

Taylor’s mother filed a wrongful death suit against the three officers involved. Three months after Taylor’s death, there has yet to be any indictments to the policemen involved.

”While ‘Breonna’s Law’ passed in Louisville and federal legislation has been introduced that will also ban no-knock warrants, these small steps in the right direction are painful reminders that there has still been no justice for Breonna Taylor or her family,” Beyoncé said.

Beyoncé went on to point out conflicting reports between LMPD’s investigation and the information present.

“Their incident report states that Ms. Taylor suffered no injuries — yet we know she was shot at least eight times. 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 that is untrue,” Beyoncé said.

LMPD’s Sargent Jonathan Mattingly, officer Myles Cosgrove and officer Brett Hankison, who were each involved in Taylor’s death, are still employed by the police department. Beyoncé demands criminal charges to be brought up on each member involved. In addition, she asks the attorney general to uphold justice on two conditions:

”Commit to transparency in the investigation and prosecution of these officers’ criminal conduct,” Beyonce said. “Investigate the LMPD’s response to Breonna Taylor’s murder, as well as the pervasive practices that result in the repeated deaths of unarmed Black citizens.”

Beyoncé’s letter comes in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement that has heightened after the police-involved death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd. In the state of Kentucky, NBA star Ja Morant wrote a letter calling for the takedown of a Confederate statue in downtown Murray, Kentucky.

Demanding to address systemic racism, Beyoncé tells Cameron the state of Kentucky has an opportunity to change things going forward starting with Taylor’s case.

”Don’t let this case fail into the pattern of no action after a terrible tragedy. 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,” Beyoncé said. “This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers. The next months cannot look like the last three.”