Sep 25, 2020

Breonna Taylor Family Press Conference Transcript September 25: Addressing Grand Jury Decision

Breonna Taylor Family Press Conference Transcript September 25
RevBlogTranscriptsBreonna Taylor Family Press Conference Transcript September 25: Addressing Grand Jury Decision

The family and family attorneys of Breonna Taylor held a press conference on September 25 to address the grand jury’s decision on Taylor’s case. Attorney Ben Crump said: “There seems to be two justice systems in America, one for black America, and one for white America.” Read the transcript of the news briefing here.

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Ben Crump: (00:00)
Okay, we get one person.

Speaker 1: (00:09)
Hey Mike, can you hear me okay?

Ben Crump: (00:09)
Okay, okay, and then when people speak they step on the stage. Okay. Morning.

Speaker 2: (00:23)
Good morning.

Ben Crump: (00:25)
I’m not saying good because right now is not a good morning for Breonna Taylor and the supporters of Breonna Taylor and her family. I’m Attorney Ben Crump along with Attorney Lanita Baker, Attorney Sam Aguiar, my law partner Attorney Chris O’Neal. We have the honor of representing and fighting for respect, dignity, and justice for Breonna Taylor and her family. We have present with us her mother, Tamika Palmer, her sister, Janaia, her Aunt Bianca Austin. We also have who I call her the queen of the movement for Breonna, Tamika Mallory and Until Freedom. We also have the Breonna square activists who are present with us today and Attorney Bacon and Aguiar and I know without a shadow of a doubt without the activist community saying her name, there is no way we would have gotten this far with all over the world people saying Breonna Taylor’s name. Say her name.

Speaker 2: (02:06)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (02:10)
Also, we are joined by a man who did an incredible thing this morning. Jacob Blake, Jr.’s father, Jacob Blake, Sr., traveled from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to be here with Tamika Palmer, Breonna’s mother. And so we also have State Representative Charles Booker and State Representative Attica, Attica Scott, who are present with us today. Fresh out of jail for standing for Breonna Taylor. Now that’s the transformational leadership we need in America as we head into this November 2nd election, that matters so much for so many reasons. But for this moment in particular, this moment matters for Breonna Taylor. So if you were marching for Breonna Taylor, if you were exercising your 1st Amendment rights for Breonna Taylor, if you were protesting for Breonna Taylor, if you signed up attention for Breonna Taylor, we need you to go sign a ballot and vote on November 2nd for Breonna Taylor.

Speaker 3: (03:46)
November 3rd.

Ben Crump: (03:46)
November 3rd. I’m thinking of early voting. Obviously, Tamika Palmer and her entire family, her father is here from Michigan. Yeah, give him a round of applause. Breonna Taylor’s entire family is heartbroken, devastated, and outraged and confused and bewildered just like all of us as to what the Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron present to the Grand Jury. Did he present any evidence? Oh, Breonna Taylor’s behalf or did he make a unilateral decision to put his thumb on the scales of justice to help try to exonerate and justify the killing of Breonna Taylor by these police officers and in doing so make sure that Breonna Taylor’s family never got their day in court, never got their chance for due process, and in essence denied them justice.

Ben Crump: (05:15)
That’s why we are standing here today united in solidarity, declaring and demanding that he release the transcripts of the Grand Jury proceedings so we can know if there was anybody giving a force to Breonna Taylor, because with these results from this Grand Jury, Tamika Mallory, wanting endangerment for the white neighbor’s apartment that lived next to her, but no wanted endangerment for the bullet tray that went into the apartment of the black neighbors above her apartment. And no wanted endangerment for the bullets that went actually into Breonna Taylor’s apartment and Lanita, no wanted murder charges for the bullets that mutilated Breonna Taylor’s body. Mr. Blake underscores what we have been saying all along. There seems to be two justice systems in America, one for black America, and one for white America, and this has been emphasized by this Grand Jury proceeding into the killing of Breonna Taylor. Sam, Aguiar, it’s kind of ironic when you think about the message that has been sent from this Grand Jury ruling. It’s like they charged the police for missing shooting bullets into black bodies, but not charging the police for shooting bullets into black bodies. What [inaudible 00:07:29]? And we question what evidence did Kentucky Attorney General send to the Grand Jury? Did he tell them about the probable cause affidavit that had a lie on that affidavit, which was the basis for which the judge signed this no knock warrant in the first place to allow them to be at Breonna’s apartment and bust open her door. Because if he didn’t send that, my son, well, what did he argue on Breonna’s behalf? Did he tell him about the 12 neighbors that Sam Aguiar’s office interviewed and recorded that live in close proximity of Breonna’s apartment that all said they did not hear the police knock and announce their presence? Did he let them testify before the Grand Jury?

Speaker 3: (08:47)
No.

Ben Crump: (08:50)
Did he allow the one neighbor who they keep proclaiming that heard the police knock and announce testify before the Grand Jury, even though Tamika and I understand on two previous occasions he declared that he did not hear the police knock and announce? So is this the only person out of her apartment complex that he allowed to testify before the Grand Jury? That doesn’t seem fair. That doesn’t seem like you’re fighting for Breonna. That doesn’t seem like you’re putting forth evidence for justice for Breonna. Did he let the cops who shot over 30 rounds of bullets in Breonna apartment, one from outside the apartment shooting recklessly and blindly, and the others who shot bullets into her body, did he allow them to testify before the Grand Jury? Did he allow Breonna’s boyfriend, Kenny Walker, to testify before the Grand Jury?

Ben Crump: (10:12)
Did he talk about them sending the ambulance away before they executed this no knock warrant violating their own policies and procedures, knowing that these no knock warrants are dangerous? And it was foreseeable that somebody could be injured, a citizen or police or a third party innocent bystander like Breonna Taylor, who lived in that apartment, who had every right to legally be in that apartment, who did not have a good with only clothes in her nightclothes and had every right to live and breathe in her apartment. Did he present that to the Grand Jury? Well, if he didn’t present these things to the Grand Jury, what kind of sham Grand Jury proceeding was this?

Speaker 3: (11:05)
A sham. Dog and pony show. Kangaroo court.

Ben Crump: (11:11)
It follows a pattern. It follows a pattern, Bianca, of the blatant disrespect and marginalization of black people, but especially black women in America who have been killed by police because part of Breonna’s legacy will always be just like Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, raise America’s consciousness level and attention to Black Lives Matter. Breonna’s legacy will be that black women life matters too. So when we think about this Grand Jury proceeding, if you want us to accept the results, then release the transcript. Release the transcript so we can have transparency. And if you did everything that you could do on Breonna’s behalf, you shouldn’t have any problem whatsoever, Daniel Cameron, to releasing the transcript so that we can see you fought for all of Kentucky citizens, especially including Tamika Palmer’s daughter, Breonna Taylor. Release the transcript. Release the transcript.

Speaker 2: (13:02)
Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts. Release the transcripts.

Ben Crump: (13:13)
You all, I don’t know if Daniel Cameron can hear us. Let’s say it from the heart so not only Daniel Cameron can hear us, but Breonna Taylor can hear us from heaven what we want Daniel Cameron, the Kentucky Attorney General to do on three. One, two, three.

Speaker 2: (13:33)
Release the transcripts.

Ben Crump: (13:40)
Before I bring up one of the greatest lawyers, one of the greatest secrets in Louisville, Kentucky, my co-counsel, my sister, my co-warrior, Lanita Baker. I would be remissed if I didn’t tell you, Breonna, people… I’m sorry. Tamika, people who are in the fraternity that you’re in from all over America, a fraternity that no parent wants to be in with far too many black mothers and fathers apart of, have sent their pledge of support to stand with them. All of them can’t come like Mr. Jacob, Blake, Sr., but all of them sent their support. When the announcement came out for Lonis Floyd and Rodney Floyd and Bridget Floyd, the brothers and sisters from George Floyd who was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, were the first ones to pledge their support. And then right after that, Lanita, we got a call from Sabrina Fultons, Trayvon Martin’s mother.

Ben Crump: (15:02)
Then right after that, we got a text from Michael Brown’s mother, Leslie McSpadden. And then right after that, we got a call from Botham Jean’ mother who was killed in his apartment in Dallas, Texas. And we got a call from his mother, Alison Jean, and his sister, Alicia Fendley. We got a call from House Representatives Lucy McBeth, who fathered Jordan Davis, her son was killed for playing loud music. We got a call from Dr. Tiffany Crutch and the twin sister of Terrance Cruntcher, who was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That was hands up, don’t shoot on video Tamika. We got a call from Quinn Carr, Eric Garner’s mother from Staten Island, New York. We got a call from Tamir Rice’s mother, Tamaria Rice. We got a call from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Philando Castille’s mother. We got a call from Stefan Clark’s brothers, Stefante, and grandmother who was killed in Sacramento, California. We got notified that Sandra Bland’s mother is pledging her support to be with you. We got notified that Eisel Foye, our brother who was having a mental health crisis in Los Angeles, California, is pledging his support. Dijon Kinsey, who was shot 15 times two weeks ago in the back by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. I left Los Angeles coming here. His aunt, who raised him literally a week before you, even though she had just lost her nephew who she raised as her own son. Joseph Richardson’s mother, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I mean the list goes on and on and on. So we are here declaring and in Breonna’s Taylor’s name enough is enough America. Enough is enough America. Enough is enough America.

Speaker 2: (17:32)
Enough is enough America. Enough is enough America. Enough is enough America. Enough is enough America. Enough is enough America.

Ben Crump: (17:51)
Please join me in welcoming a great champion for justice, my co-counsel from the law firm of Sam Augiar, who’s also present with us here and deserves acknowledgment. A great, great lawyer. We give you Attorney Lanita Baker.

Lanita Baker: (18:19)
I know Attorney Crump has demanded that we released the transcript and I echo that demand. And we don’t want to hear that you can’t release the transcript because you released the recording of Kenny Walker’s Grand Jury proceedings so you can release the recordings. And we demand that you released the recordings, but not only do we want the recordings and the transcript, what we also want is for you to quit dodging the questions, David Cameron. You were asked at the press conference did you make a recommendation? You refused to answer. Answer the question.

Speaker 4: (18:54)
Answer the question.

Lanita Baker: (18:56)
And I’ve asked you several times, did you even present any charges regarding Breonna Taylor to the Grand Jury?

Lanita Baker: (19:03)
Did you even present any charges regarding Breonna Taylor to the grand jury? I don’t want to hear that the grand jury determined this, if it’s your office that unilaterally determined not to charge any officers with the death of Breonna Taylor. You can’t pawn this off on the grand jury if your office made that decision, and we, the voters, deserve the right to know who is it that we need to say got it wrong. Did the grand jury get it wrong in using the defensive justification, or did your office get it wrong?

Lanita Baker: (19:32)
Because what we know in Kentucky, and what many of you may not know, is I practiced criminal law for 13 years in this commonwealth of Kentucky. I did it as a prosecutor and a defense attorney. I know the law of self-defense in Kentucky, and I know that you don’t have the right to use the defense of self-defense when you injure or kill an innocent third party. And what we know from Sergeant Mattingly’s own testimony to the public integrity unit is that he saw that Breonna Taylor was unarmed. His own testimony. He saw Breonna Taylor was unarmed.

Lanita Baker: (20:11)
Then you put a lot of attention on the fatal shot to Breonna Taylor being made back at Myles Cosgrove. If he wasn’t able to see Breonna Taylor to also see that she was unarmed, then he also was firing just as recklessly as Brett Hankison, and he deserves to be here charged with one murder of Breonna Taylor. If he didn’t see her, he didn’t have target acquisition. He deserves to be charged right now.

Lanita Baker: (20:42)
Don’t tell us that the grand jury made this determination if it was truly your determination. Answer that question head-on. Was it your office’s decision, or was it the grand jury’s decision? Release the transcript.

Lanita Baker: (20:56)
I know we have a lot going on, and I’ve been angry. I have been angry, and I’m angry because, as I said, I’ve worked in this system. I worked as a prosecutor who fought so hard to make sure I was administering justice, regardless of who the victim was, regardless of who the perpetrator was. That’s the only way that the system is going to work, is to have prosecutors, Daniel Cameron, that work for us.

Lanita Baker: (21:20)
And Daniel Cameron, I took offense to you not being fully upfront with Tamika Palmer when we met with you. I take true offense to that. You have to know your legal obligations as a prosecutor is to inform the family, to talk to the family, to keep them informed on what’s going on. You failed to do that, and you failed to be fully honest with her when we met with you while the grand jury report was being relayed to the public. You told us we would know in advance. We learned at same time that America learned. That’s unacceptable.

Lanita Baker: (22:05)
We have a right to be angry, but I do want to talk to those of us who have been on the ground. We can’t let the anger consume us because we’ve still got work to do, and we can’t fully think when we’re consumed by anger. I’ve been praying this morning to not let the anger that’s been inside of me consume me and come out today, because I know we have work to do. I’m dressed down today because I’m staying down here. Because I want LMPD majors who say that we’re the ones out here washing cars or checking you out at Walmart, no we’re not. We’re lawyers. We’re businesspeople. We’re city employees just like you. And guess what? Even if I was washing your car, it doesn’t matter. I have a right to use my voice. Two years ago, I was checking people in and out of a hotel, too, while I was still practicing as a lawyer. Guess what? When I was there, I was the same person that I am practicing law.

Lanita Baker: (23:08)
LMPD, you have to change your mentality of who you’re fighting. You’re not going to have the city of Louisville believe that Attica Scott, Shamika Parish, Rhonda Mathis, and those who were with them was burning down a library. Stop the lies. We can’t move forward with the lies. We know that we need healing. We know that this city needs healing. We’re willing to do our part, but you have to do your part. And until you start doing your part, we won’t heal. We’re here when you’re ready to listen to us, to come down.

Lanita Baker: (23:45)
I challenge those of you who are off today. You don’t have to come down and protest, but I challenge you to come down here and listen to the people who are protesting. Those of you who are elected officers, come down here during the day. Listen to the protesters. Businesspeople who have sent me inboxes “we support you,” support us by coming down here, showing them that we are not just car washers checking people out. There are so many more people down here.

Lanita Baker: (24:12)
And media, quit skewing the way that people are protesting. You know the majority of people down here are non-violent. You’ve been down here for 120 days. You know it. Quit making it seem like they’re violent. They’re not.

Lanita Baker: (24:29)
Yes, shoutout to [crosstalk 00:24:29] and live streamers because that is how we’re learning the truth. Regular media, take a cue. Film it all. Don’t slant it. Tell the truth. LMPD, tell the whole truth. Everybody tell the whole truth, including you, Daniel Cameron. Did you make the decision, or did the grand jury make the decision?

Ben Crump: (24:56)
That’s why I call her my co-warrior. Not my co-counselor, co-warrior. Lonita Baker. Let me repeat that. Maybe they didn’t hear me. That’s why I call her my co-warrior. Not co-counselor, co-warrior.

Ben Crump: (25:29)
And attorney Aguiar, the secret’s out of the bag now. The secret is out the bag. What a great, well-kept secret. Kentucky has an attorney, Lonita Baker, in it. Well, I tell you, it’s a wake-up call to these elected officials because she represents the most talented, most articulate, most intellectual representative of this city that we have to offer. If you don’t do your job, it’s going to be people like Lonita Baker, or others, who are going to take your seat.

Ben Crump: (26:20)
Before we bring this next champion of justice, we want to have a statement from the family. Sam and [inaudible 00:26:44], for 191 days, people all across America, people elected in Washington like Senator Kamala Harris, people in the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, NFL players, and celebrities who we all called to the protest. I remember they came to the Capitol, like Jada Pinkett Smith and Common and so many others. Rhapsody, so many others. But more importantly, just regular people, regular folk. Black, white, Hispanic, native, all over the world have been saying, “Say her name.” And how insulting was it on the indictment that Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron didn’t mention her name one time.

Ben Crump: (27:57)
So Tamika Palmer, before we bring your sister up to speak, I want you all to do me a favor. Since he didn’t say it in indictment, say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:21)
Say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:21)
Say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:21)
Say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:21)
Say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:21)
Say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:21)
Say her name.

Crowd Chant: (28:21)
Breonna Taylor.

Ben Crump: (28:36)
Next, we will hear from the sister of Tamika Palmer, that aunt of Breonna Taylor, Bianca Austin, who, I will tell you, before we were fighting for Breonna Taylor, she was like the lawyer on the front lines, leading the protests. It is aptly appropriate for Bianca to come and make a statement on behalf of the family. I would ask for the charity of your undivided attention while she reads a message from the family and especially from the heart of Brianna’s mother, Tamika Palmer. Please, Miss Austin.

Bianca Austin: (29:30)
Thank you. Thank you. I’m standing here today, I’m going to represent my niece in her EMT jacket. I chose this to have her be a part of us today. Also, I just want to shout out to our family. It’s been a long six months and it’s been a wild roller coaster. Not only have we been out here fighting for justice for Breonna, but we are continuing to lose our family members to cancer, to COVID, to being murdered. My message to you is just cry your tears, lift your head up, and keep stepping.

Bianca Austin: (30:16)
Most of you know this has been emotionally, mentally, and physically draining for my sister, so I’m going to do the honor and read her thoughts after Daniel Cameron’s decision. And I quote:

Bianca Austin: (30:35)
“I never had faith in Daniel Cameron to begin with. I knew he was too inexperienced to deal with a job of this caliber. I knew he had already chosen to be on the wrong side of the law the moment he wanted the grand jury to make the decision. What I had hoped is that he knew he had the power to do the right thing, that he had the power to start the healing of this city, that he had the power to help mend over 400 years of oppression. What he helped me realize is that it will always be us against them, that we are never safe when it comes to them. Mattingly, in an email, called us animals and thugs. It’s clear that that is the way that they will always see us.

Bianca Austin: (31:27)
I was reassured Wednesday of why I have no faith in the legal system, in the police, in the law. They are not made to protect us black and brown people. But when I speak on it, I’m considered an angry black woman, but know this: I am an angry black woman. I am not angry for the reasons that you would like me to be, but angry because our black women keep dying at the hands of police officers, and black men. Angry because our children are dying at the hands of police officers. And I’m angry because this nation is learning that our black women dying at the hands of police officers, and this is not okay. You can take the dog out of the fight, but you can’t take the fight out of the dog. For lack of better terms, bark bark for being the dog, still standing to fight.

Bianca Austin: (32:27)
I knew Cameron would never do his job, but what I do know is that him and countless others will go to bed sleeping with Breonna’s face, still hearing her say her name.

Bianca Austin: (32:39)
Cameron alone didn’t fail her, but it ended with a lack of investigation failed her. The officer who told a lie to obtain the search warrant failed her. The judge who signed the search warrant failed her. The terrorists who broke down her door failed her. The system as a whole has failed her.

Bianca Austin: (32:59)
You didn’t just rob me of my family, you robbed the world of a queen. A queen willing to do a job that most of us could never stomach to do, a queen willing to build up anyone around her, a queen who was starting to pave her path. I hope you never have to know the pain of knowing your child is in need of help and you’re not able to give it. I hope you never hear the sounds of seeing someone cry and beg for your child to get help, and she never receives help. Those cries were ignored. I hope you never know the pain of your child being murdered 191 days in a row. Tamika Palmer.”

Bianca Austin: (33:47)
I am so sorry you got to go through this. So sorry. It’s unacceptable. But your family got your back. We’re not going nowhere until freedom has your back. Lonita has your back, your daddy has your back. And guess what? This park, these people that’s out here stomping on these grounds, has your back. [inaudible 00:34:24]

Ben Crump: (34:32)
Thank you. Thank you, Bianca, and thank you for reading the words from a mother’s heart, a heart that is broken. Thank you, Bianca. That was heartfelt. Every mother around the world could feel Tamika’s pain. Can we just take a moment for a second to reflect on what we just heard?

Ben Crump: (35:18)
Just know we love you, Tamika Palmer. We’re standing with you.

Ben Crump: (35:23)
It’s okay, you can get me as wet as you want. What a wonderful soul.

Ben Crump: (35:48)
At this time, I really mean it, because when Lonita and Sam called me, black women are often disrespected. We were calling people in the media, and we noticed the [inaudible 00:36:07] now, but people were not trying to do stories on Breonna Taylor, this black woman who was killed by the police. A lot of people did not return my calls as we were begging to give attention to Breonna Taylor. But I got to tell you, a lot of people did answer the call. I won’t go through the list, but one young woman who answered the call, I had known she was a champion for justice, five days fighting for Trayvon Martin and so many other families that have been inflicted with this police terrorism that claimed the lives of their loved ones. And not only did she answer the bell, she said, “Crump, we are not going to leave this until we get charges.” It was deep to me, Lonita.

Ben Crump: (37:15)
And you remember, we then started going on her social media and doing the Instagram Lives, just to try to bring awareness to Breonna Taylor’s name. I remember others allowing us to use their platform. And I don’t want to take anything away from Rickey Smiley and Charlemagne and Tesla Figaro and Reverend Al Sharpton, [inaudible 00:18:42], but this young lady, almost every day, went on social media and followed Ju’Niyah’s lead. Because remember Ju’Niyah, every day, went on social media and said, “My sister Breonna Taylor’s life matters,” when nobody else was listening.

Ben Crump: (38:03)
Taylor life mattered when nobody else was listening, but then this young lady got involved and had us on [inaudible 00:38:08]. On her social media every day and we strategized every day. And then she said, “You know what Crump, me and my organization until freedom, we’re moving to Louisville, Kentucky, and we’re going to stay every day because if Tamika Palmer can’t sleep in peace, neither can we and we’re going to come and be in solidarity together demanding justice for Breonna Taylor.” And for, I think now over four months, you all have been here, living here this whole time. And that’s why I call her the queen of the movement for justice for Breonna Taylor, my sister, my warrior, my freedom fighter, Tamika Mallory.

Tamika Mallory: (39:04)
No justice.

Speaker 5: (39:07)
No peace.

Tamika Mallory: (39:13)
No justice.

Speaker 5: (39:14)
No peace.

Tamika Mallory: (39:16)
No justice.

Speaker 5: (39:16)
No peace.

Tamika Mallory: (39:16)
No justice.

Speaker 5: (39:16)
No peace.

Tamika Mallory: (39:16)
And if there isn’t going to be no justice.

Speaker 5: (39:16)
There isn’t going to be no peace.

Tamika Mallory: (39:18)
I want to read something to you all that I learned of just the day after Daniel Cameron’s decision. It says, “It is a great honor to receive the endorsement of the bi-partisan Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police. To the men and women in blue, I pledge to be your advocate and your voice every day. When I first got into this race, I did so to bring focus to the public safety challenge of our lifetime, the drug crisis. And there is so much work to be done to fight this epidemic. I am humbled to have this endorsement and as the chief law enforcement officer in Kentucky, I will work every day to make our community safer and our families and citizens more secure.” That statement is from Daniel Cameron when he received the endorsement of the FOP, one of the most racist organizations that exists in America. I got time today. And half of that statement was a lie.

Tamika Mallory: (40:43)
Daniel Cameron is not here to protect citizens and to make the state of Kentucky safer, but he was honest about one part. And that is that he is an advocate for police. And that he was going to be their voice and to do whatever is necessary to protect them. And so we learned that he stood. He’s a man of his word as it relates to his relationship to police. He protected the police. And it did not matter to him one bit that those same officers could have ran in his mama, his black mama’s house, and shot her to death. He’s more committed to the white supremacy that he is upholding. He mentioned at the press conference, which I thought was quite interesting, that he’s a black man.

Tamika Mallory: (41:39)
And as I laid and cried and hurt for Tamika Palmer and for Breonna Taylor and for Kenny Walker and for Janaia, who we need to love up on. As I laid there and I thought about him saying he’s a black man, I thought about the ships that went into Fort Monroe and Jamestown with our people on them over 400 years ago and how there were also black men on those ships that were responsible for bringing our people over here. Daniel Cameron is no different than the sellout Negroes that sold our people into slavery and helped white men to capture our people, to abuse them, and to traffic them while our women were raped, while our men were raped by savages. That is who you are Daniel Cameron. You are a coward, you are a sellout, and you were used by the system to harm your own mama, your own black mama. We have no respect for you. No respect for your black skin because all of our skin folk ain’t our kin folk and you do not belong to black people at all.

Tamika Mallory: (43:07)
We learned that on the same exact day that this announcement came out, it was the day that in September of, I forget the year, 1955, 65, no 1955, which was 65 years ago, Emmett Till was also killed again. Denied justice because the two white officers responsible for… The two white men, excuse me, responsible for killing him, were let free. That happened on the same day. Now, I don’t know if it’s just that Daniel Cameron is stupid or that he is very, very, very clear about history and made a decision to wait six months and come forward with this announcement, this garbage that we received on the exact same day that Emmett Till’s family received the same result. And the history… But I want you to understand how wicked he is, how wicked he is, and how wicked this system is. Attorney Sam Aguiar, and I hope I don’t get in trouble for this, but I got to say it. You all know I push the envelope too far all the time.

Tamika Mallory: (44:42)
Attorney Sam Aguiar said he spoke to the Attorney General’s office and told them do not have Tamika Palmer come all the way to Frankfurt, which is an hour drive away, to hear bad news and have to drive back. Do not do that to her. You can call on the telephone to tell her bad news and that wicked man called for her to come there anyway and had this black mama to have to drive home with her sister and her family after hearing that they didn’t even mention her daughter’s name in the damn indictment process in this Grand Jury hearing. How dare you? What kind of man are you? How dare you? And we are not going home. We will make sure that this city is as uncomfortable as it can be and we intend to travel across the state of Kentucky and make sure that in every corner of this state, they know who you are, Daniel Cameron, and who is upholding the system of white supremacy that continues to oppress our people.

Tamika Mallory: (45:58)
The last thing we will say is Mayor Fischer, don’t get it twisted. Don’t get it twisted. Do not think for one moment that you’re going to hide behind a settlement or hide behind reform that we are happy to see that you actually supported, but it must be implemented, and we have to make sure that that work is done. But the main thing that matters at this point, you can have the National Guard, the Army, the white militia, the whoever you want to have here, LMPD, whoever you want to have. Anybody, turn them loose. Tell him turn them loose, but until you fire those cops, until your investigation returns the results that the police officers who murdered. They said they were mad at me for using the language murder. I said what I said. They murdered Breonna Taylor and until those officers are fired from this department, I promise you, I promise you, we will continue to make these streets hot.

Tamika Mallory: (47:10)
Now, and today at five o’clock just for anybody who’s wondering when to meet us, we’re going to be outside. We’re going to be outside. And the last thing I want to tell you all is that you know I’m a visitor. So I observe and our team, we don’t live here permanently, but we temporarily live here and we observe a lot. So last night as we broke curfew, because that’s what we do. That’s what we do. And we’re prepared for whatever that means. We drove around and we noticed that there was some other people breaking curfew. There was other people breaking curfew. And we were coming, we were rushing from a meeting to try to get to a church that is being a place of sanctuary for protesters so that they can be inside because that’s what you all said you all wanted us to do was to be inside.

Tamika Mallory: (48:13)
Am I right about that? And so these folks were on their way to go inside and to disrespect the State Representative Attica Scott, Shameeka Parish, who is a leader in this community and say, and other women, other black women and other individuals, and to say that they were actually burning down something as Attorney Lanita Baker says, “It is despicable. It’s despicable and you are liars.” But as I was riding around and we saw all these people in one place at a Shell gas station that is not far from here.

Speaker 5: (48:54)
Jefferson and 1st.

Tamika Mallory: (48:55)
Jefferson and 1st. I was looking and I said, “Wait, we got to stop because is that the police? Is it the military? No, it was the white militia.” And it was after nine o’clock and they were breaking curfew with me. So but I want to know, is it okay for us to even be at a church? And them, they can be outside, but we can’t be at a church. I thought Mayor Fischer said that he wanted the churches and the mosque and other places to open up. Why were they arrested last night and yet the white militia was allowed to be outside after nine o’clock because they say listen, Louisville residents, I want you to be clear about what they said. They said that the owner of the Shell gas station, the owner of the Shell gas station had the white militia on their property to protect them so they’re telling you who they with. So if you continue to go to the Shell gas station as a black person in this city, or any person who claims to support our cause, you got it twisted.

Tamika Mallory: (50:03)
Boycott betas immediately. We have no reason to go back to that gas station since they are standing with the white militia. And it’s on 1st and Jefferson, 1st and Jefferson.

Speaker 6: (50:20)
A white employee shot a black man.

Tamika Mallory: (50:22)
Right, and one of their white employees shot a black man down there the other day. And ironically, they put out video of some people in the store throwing things down on the ground afterwards, but they never showed that the reason why that even happened was because a black man was shot there and they held the man who shot him inside the store for two hours to protect him. And the question I have with the media is where is that story? Why is it that people don’t know a black man was shot at a Shell station and the white militia is being allowed to stand outside there and protect him. So I’m done, but I want to tell you that what has actually happened is that one, Breonna Taylor has brought us together and we will never be separated.

Tamika Mallory: (51:12)
And number two, we are prepared to fight until our own death if it is necessary. Not just for her, but for every single little Breonna Taylor that is watching us, not for what Dr. King did, not for what Loretta Scott Kings did, not for what those did in the past, they want to know what this generation is going to do to stand for freedom and justice, and I’m telling you, we didn’t come to play. God bless you.

Ben Crump: (51:39)
[inaudible 00:51:57].

Speaker 6: (51:52)
Attica.

Ben Crump: (51:58)
She’s coming. All right. Hey, that’s why we call her the queen of this movement. And I will tell you, it’s so important that we turn this moment into a movement, that we transform this pain into power, that we transform this protest into policy. So I do want to say that on October 14th, which is George Floyd’s birthday, we want to have a national get out to vote rally in cities all across America. I know Riverdale and George Floyd’s family are going to go lead a march in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ben Crump: (52:55)
I pray that Bianca and Tamika and Lanita and Tamika again will help lead a march to vote for Breonna on that day in Louisville, Kentucky. We’re asking for people all across America whose families have been afflicted by police brutality to go to the front line and help lead people to the polls because the definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing and expect different results. And I know that no candidate is perfect, but you vote for the candidate who has the interest most aligned with your interest and that’s all we going to say. Now right now, we are bringing a brother who came a long way to be here. And if you’ve seen any of his interviews, you know he comes from the Tamika Mallory school. He isn’t going to hold back. A man who also is heartbroken. A man who talked to Tamika Palmer on the phone. They met at the march on Washington with Nation Action Network. And he has been steadfast in his commitment for justice for Breonna while still fighting for his own son, justice for Jacob Blake, Jr. Please welcome Jacob Blake, Sr. Big Jake.

Speaker 7: (54:56)
That’s right Big Jake.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (55:00)
First of all, we drove eight hours here for this family right here. And I love each and every one of you.

Speaker 7: (55:07)
We love you too.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (55:08)
I love each and every one of you. For the activists in the square, we aren’t going nowhere. We will not be moved. We will not be moved. That drive meant nothing to me because I knew I had to be here. I knew I had to be here standing next to my fraternity. We didn’t choose this fraternity, this fraternity chose us. So if we lay down and let them run over us, then who would we be? Where would we go? We couldn’t look you all in the face if we didn’t stand up the way we’re supposed to stand up. And Daniel, it’s not a photo op with Mitch McConnell or Donald Trump. Can’t you say her name? Can’t you say her name? Don’t come bringing us back shucking and jiving stuff. Nobody’s ready for that. We’re tired of that.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (56:20)
Don’t shuck and jive in Bojangles your way across the street. Face this family. Turn on the lights. Show the truth. Show what you did and what you did not do. We’re tired of it. Enough is enough. I know what this sister goes through. You all don’t understand when it’s your child. You can’t fathom the emotions that you go through every night. You hear them talking to you. They’re not there. You hear them talk.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (57:03)
Talking to you. They’re not there. You hear them talking to you. I knew this family needed some energy and I said, “I’m coming. I’m coming.” Because we ain’t going to lay down anymore. You cannot stop the revolution. You cannot stop it.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (57:27)
I stand here today in Louisville, Kentucky, one of my favorite cities, I may add. Mohammad Ali came from here. I’ve mixed a lot with Muhammad Ali so many times you wouldn’t believe. I’ve heard so many stories about it was a chicken place with biscuits here, he was talking about. I’m here for this family. If you think you got a sucker standing in front of you, if you think you got a sellout out standing in front of you, my son gave me the power to come over here. He cannot stand for himself today. I stand for him. We stand for him. We our family. We our community. It takes everyone to stand up and say something. You cannot get rolled over. Jacob’s standing for Breonna. Did he say her name? Did Daniel Cameron say her name? That’s what he is. That’s what he is. If you have breath in your body and you are concerned about the lives of your children, your grandchildren, your brothers, your sisters, your mother, your cousin, your aunts, your uncles, you will take yourself and register to vote. Because if we do not change these laws, they will still continue to treat us like we are animals. My son and Breonna were human being. The laws, the people’s minds, they have to be changed. We know how to speak English. We know how to articulate.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (59:36)
You can’t feel the way we feel unless you put on this suit. I don’t take this suit off for nothing. I go to sleep in it, I eat in it, I walk in it, I wash in it. I can’t take it off. But there’s no need for you to look at us in an animalistic way. We are no less important than you white people standing in this crowd. We understand that we love our children, we love our families like you love yours.

Audience: (01:00:06)
Say it again, brother.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (01:00:08)
Why in 2020 am I having to tell you that we’re human beings.

Audience: (01:00:11)
Started a long time ago.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (01:00:11)
Why? Say her name.

Audience: (01:00:11)
Breonna Taylor.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (01:00:11)
Say her name.

Audience: (01:00:11)
Breonna Taylor.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (01:00:11)
Say her name.

Audience: (01:00:11)
Breonna Taylor.

Jacob Blake, Sr.: (01:00:11)
I love y’all, Louisville.

Audience: (01:00:11)
We love you too.

Speaker 8: (01:00:39)
Before I bring up our last speaker for the day, I do want to say one more thing to Daniel Cameron. If you, in fact, did not say Breonna Taylor’s name to the grand jury, if in fact you did not present any charges on behalf of Breonna Taylor to the grand jury, we demand that you appoint a special prosecutor to present charges on behalf of Breonna Taylor to a grand jury, because it’s not too late. We still demand full justice for Breonna Taylor.

Speaker 8: (01:01:06)
With that, I’m going to bring up our Kentucky State Representative who had to spend the night in jail, fresh out of being been released for jail, for what allegedly … burning down a library. That’s what they said. [inaudible 01:01:28] with all due respect, to House Representative, Attica Scott.

Attica Scott: (01:01:30)
First of all, I have to say to you, Ms. Palmer, Auntie Juniyah, that in Breonna’s name, neither I or my teenage daughter who was arrested with me would try to burn down a library that our people need, that our people need. I just want you to know those are some ridiculous charges that were levied against us. I also want the rest of y’all to know that we were detained at 8:58.

Attica Scott: (01:01:59)
Now, I don’t know. What time’s curfew?

Audience: (01:02:01)
9:00.

Attica Scott: (01:02:03)
Use your math. We were literally across the street from the church. When we got to the library, the police surrounded us. They said, “Circle them, circle them.” They would not let us even get back to our car or literally get across the street to the church. They came prepared for war and for battle against the people they are paid to protect and serve. But I just want to say that we will pass Breonna’s Law for Kentucky. Shamika, Nicole, Tyra, Khalilah, Dana, Joselyn, we’ve all been working with Sam Aguilar, who you all have heard me say many times, my first day in office, he contacted me and said, “We got some legislation we need to work on.” This is three and a half years ago. We’ve been working on police accountability for years. We work with the ACLU of Kentucky, a shout out to Keturah Herron. Our law goes a little bit farther than the local law. Not only does it end no-knock warrants across Kentucky, because black folks everywhere, in Appalachia and rural Kentucky. But it also demands that when you do issue a warrant, that you must have a body-worn camera and it must be turned on, or you will be disciplined, including termination.

Attica Scott: (01:03:14)
It also mandates that we have an alcohol and drug test for all officers involved in deadly shootings and violence. Like Tamika Mallory said, we are coming to every County in Kentucky. We have 120 of them. We’re going from the hood to the holler, we are going to every County to make it very clear that your State Representative better sign on to Breonna’s Law for Kentucky or in two years, they going to be gone. We were making it very clear to the Speaker of the House, David Osborne, right next door in Oldham County, that you need to make sure that Breonna’s Law is heard, this year, before we go back in session in January. When we go back in January, we will pass Breonna’s Law for Kentucky.

Ben Crump: (01:04:09)
All right. Step back everybody for a second. I’ll hold it for a second. Is Tamika Palmer here? Now she ain’t going to say anything, Juniyah told me I better not give her this mic. But she’s going to do something special. I heard her say it so many times. I will say it as she commemorates her sister, with her mother standing beside her. Bre way!

Audience: (01:04:47)
Bre way!

Ben Crump: (01:04:54)
Bre way!

Audience: (01:04:59)
Bre way!

Ben Crump: (01:05:00)
Bre way!

Audience: (01:05:11)
Bre way!

Ben Crump: (01:05:12)
Yeah, give it up for Breonna’s little sister Juniyah. Wasn’t that special? I’ll turn to our leader back here, Representative Scott, thank you for your leadership, your transformational leadership. Do you understand back here, we’ll take a few questions. Then we’re going to get to the business of what you said, Tamika, making the streets hot. Okay.

Audience: (01:05:44)
Wanted to get your reaction.

Speaker 8: (01:05:46)
Folks, just a little bit, right there.

Ben Crump: (01:05:49)
That’s going to be how we take it out.

Speaker 8: (01:05:50)
Right here.

Ben Crump: (01:05:50)
Okay. Yes.

Speaker 9: (01:05:56)
The fact that Breonna’s name is not mentioned anywhere in the indictment. I know you’ve talked about that, but how hurtful is that? How angering is that?

Ben Crump: (01:06:04)
The fact that we, for 191 days, were proclaiming from the top of the mountain top, “Say her name,” the fact that Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron did not mention her name once in the indictment was like a kick in the stomach to Tamika Palmer.

Speaker 8: (01:06:30)
That’s right. This lady right here, go ahead.

Speaker 10: (01:06:33)
Thank you. How confident are you that Daniel Cameron may in fact appoint a special prosecutor because of the public pressure? Are you looking for some recourse when it comes to the federal case?

Speaker 8: (01:06:50)
Daniel Cameron has shown us that he does not intend to get justice for Breonna Taylor. He has shown us that he is not willing to fight on behalf of Breonna Taylor. Therefore, he is not capable of presenting a case, a fair case to a grand jury, on behalf of Breonna Taylor. Neither do we feel that he has the experience to continue to present on behalf, to fight on behalf of Breonna Taylor. He should, under his legal obligation, appoint a special prosecutor. In terms of the federal investigation, the FBI is still pursuing this investigation. It’s going a lot more into what we heard Daniel Cameron say, was just the shooting that took place on March 13th. He did not say shooting of Breonna. We know that there were no charges of Breonna Taylor. But it is our hope that the FBI gives us justice where the were Attorney General cameron did not.

Ben Crump: (01:07:52)
Yes, ma’am

Speaker 11: (01:07:53)
Do you believe that this is the turning point in America? What does change and justice look like to you?

Ben Crump: (01:08:03)
I’ll say this. She asked, “Is this the turning point in America? What does change and justice look like?” The fact that we saw the same thing happened yesterday in the grand jury announcements with Breonna Taylor, what we saw 65 years ago happened with Emmett Till, tells us that America has a long way to go until we talk about a turning point. It’s just, when you think about it, they have been doing this since 401 years. While America is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, we in black America have to deal with the 1619 pandemic. For 401 years we’ve been dealing with systematic racism and oppression. Even if the President and the Attorney General won’t acknowledge it, we live it every day as black people in America. They continue to tell us it’s legal. Just because they say it’s legal, that don’t make it right. Everything Hitler did to the Jews in Germany they said was legal. That didn’t make it right. Slavery was legal. That didn’t make it right. As Dr. King said, segregation was legal. That didn’t make it right. Tamika, what they did to Emmett Till 65 years ago, they said was legal, but that didn’t make it right. So when they try to say how they killed Breonna Taylor was legal, Daniel Cameron, that don’t make it right.

Ben Crump: (01:10:12)
We have to make our turning point. It starts with November 2nd, but it does not … it starts with November 3rd, but it don’t end there. I want everybody to go vote [inaudible 01:10:25].

Audience: (01:10:21)
Vote [inaudible 01:10:29].

Ben Crump: (01:10:30)
Okay, yes sir? Brother?

Speaker 12: (01:10:33)
Watching this case from the beginning, we all saw what was possibly false statements submitted on the search warrant affidavit. We found out from Daniel Cameron’s statement that evidence was not even considered in his investigation. He said that the FBI is investigating the obtaining of the search warrant. Is that typical in a case? If so, who made that decision?

Speaker 8: (01:11:01)
It’s not typical. Daniel Cameron made that decision because we do have a state statute for perjury. It should have been considered at the state level, even if it’s something that the federal level will also consider. But the federal investigation is more comprehensive in whether any civil rights violations were had. We have a state statute for perjury. There should have been a presentation for perjury done to this grand jury. The fact that it was not shows that justice was not done in this case.

Ben Crump: (01:11:33)
Last question, Gabe.

Speaker 13: (01:11:35)
Dan and Molina, I wanted to get your reaction to this body camera video that was released by one of the attorneys or one of the officers. Did you know that video existed?

Ben Crump: (01:11:50)
Can we listen to your question?

Speaker 13: (01:11:51)
Sure. I wanted to get your reaction to some of the body camera video that was released overnight by the attorney for one of the officers after the shooting, as the officer was being rushed to some sort of ambulance. There was some video released overnight. My question to you is did you know that video existed? What questions did that raise?

Ben Crump: (01:12:10)
I’m going to defer to my great co-counsel, Sam Aguilar.

Sam Aguilar: (01:12:13)
If I understand your question correctly, you’re essentially asking video came out overnight, shows some more of, I guess, what the public hasn’t seen. Did we know it existed and what does that do for this case? We’ve been privy to the entire police file. Part of our anger and frustration up here is that we know things that eventually we’re going to be lobbying for. We hope that all of us demand this, that this police file gets released to everybody, ASAP. Daniel Cameron is done. He got so much wrong. We’ve seen so much piecemeal stuff come out throughout the case. But when everybody sees what really happened, this anger and frustration and furiosity that we feel right now, it pales in comparison to what it’s going to be when everything comes out. That video right there, I think it was a home video or some body camera video. By that being released, there’s 50 other body camera videos that need to be released in full for everybody to see right now.

Speaker 13: (01:13:14)
But had you seen it before or was that the first you saw it, just curious about that. Had you seen it before it was released by the attorney?

Sam Aguilar: (01:13:23)
I’ve seen the body camera of the car when it pulls off and that’s not even the full extent of that whole video.

Speaker 13: (01:13:28)
But you’re calling for more of that to be released?

Sam Aguilar: (01:13:31)
I’m calling from the entire damn police file to be released, now.

Audience: (01:13:32)
All of it. Release all of it.

Ben Crump: (01:13:37)
What did you all say in the back, as we hand it?

Audience: (01:13:39)
[inaudible 01:13:39] freeway, Bre way. [inaudible 01:13:45], mother fucking freeway, Bre way. On the mother fucking freeway, Bre way.

Ben Crump: (01:13:48)
Thank you.

Speaker 14: (01:13:48)
We’re going to let the family move out of the space. For the media, who’s going to start picking up their mics, I want you to understand this is a Memorial of a dead woman. Please do not swarm. Give chances to your fellow media folks to pick up their equipment and try to do it as fast as possible, and also without disturbing any of the things. Don’t step on anything.

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