Alicia Keys, Common, Snoop Dogg Decry Breonna Taylor Decision
Alicia Keys, Common and Snoop Dogg are among a bevy of stars to decry a grand jury’s decision that only one of the three police officers connected to the killing of Breonna Taylor while she slept in her Louisville, Kentucky apartment would face charges.
On Wednesday, A Kentucky grand jury levied three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment at ex-police detective Brett Hankison, while declining to press charges against the other two officers, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove. Several marches took place nationwide on Wednesday to protest the decision and call for justice.
“This is a PRIME example of Rotten to the CORE!!!,” Keys wrote. “UnJust!!!! Disrespectful and BLATANT DISREGARD!!!! Infuriated!!!!!!!”
Common shared clips from Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, James Baldwin and Nina Simone, addressing racism and the meaning of freedom in the wake of the decision.
Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg took to Instagram. “Breonna, I’m so sorry,” he posted. “So sorry that your neighbors’ walls received justice before you did.”
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Sports figures such as LeBron James also voiced their opposition to the decision. “I’ve been lost for words today! I’m devastated, hurt, sad, mad!,” James wrote. “We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life. Was I surprised at the verdict. Absolutely not but dammit I was & still am hurt and heavy hearted!”
Actors including George Clooney, also spoke out against the decision. A Kentucky native, Clooney told USA Today that the decision was not indicative of the values he grew up with.
“I was born and raised in Kentucky,” he said in a statement. “Cut tobacco on the farms of Kentucky. Both my parents and my sister live in Kentucky. I own a home in Kentucky, and I was there last month. The justice system I was raised to believe in holds people responsible for their actions.”
“Her name was Breonna Taylor and she was shot to death in her bed by 3 white police officers, who will not be charged with any crime for her death,” he continued. “I know the community. I know the commonwealth. And I was taught in the schools and churches of Kentucky what is right and what is wrong. I’m ashamed of this decision.”
This is is a PRIME example of Rotten to the CORE!!! UnJust!!!! Disrespectful and BLATANT DISREGARD!!!! Infuriated!!!!!!! https://t.co/TWVeV8Q3rp
— Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) September 23, 2020
“I’ll tell you what freedom means to me: NO fear.” Nina Simone. #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/psDqAwUL4r
— COMMON (@common) September 24, 2020
View this post on Instagram🙏🏽😢
I’ve been lost for words today! I’m devastated, hurt, sad, mad! We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life. Was I surprised at the verdict. Absolutely not but damnit I was & still am hurt and heavy hearted! I send
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2020
