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| Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Recording Released: Live Updates | Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Recording Released: Live Updates |
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| An audio recording of the grand jury inquiry into the killing of Breonna Taylor was made public on Friday morning, a rare disclosure that sheds light on what evidence the jurors considered in the proceedings. | An audio recording of the grand jury inquiry into the killing of Breonna Taylor was made public on Friday morning, a rare disclosure that sheds light on what evidence the jurors considered in the proceedings. |
| The recording, which is about 15 hours long, was filed in court by the Kentucky attorney general, Daniel Cameron, and The New York Times is in the process of reviewing the material. The move came after a grand juror filed a court motion asking for the proceedings to be made public and accusing Mr. Cameron of using the jurors to deflect blame over the decision. | The recording, which is about 15 hours long, was filed in court by the Kentucky attorney general, Daniel Cameron, and The New York Times is in the process of reviewing the material. The move came after a grand juror filed a court motion asking for the proceedings to be made public and accusing Mr. Cameron of using the jurors to deflect blame over the decision. |
| The jurors indicted a former officer last week with endangering three of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors by firing into their home during a raid of her apartment in March, but their decision to not charge either of the officers who shot her was met with angry protests in Louisville, during which one man shot two police officers. Their examination of the evidence lasted two and a half days, Mr. Cameron said. | The jurors indicted a former officer last week with endangering three of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors by firing into their home during a raid of her apartment in March, but their decision to not charge either of the officers who shot her was met with angry protests in Louisville, during which one man shot two police officers. Their examination of the evidence lasted two and a half days, Mr. Cameron said. |
| Grand jurors are given broad powers to request evidence, call witnesses and determine which charges to pursue, but they often do not exercise — and sometimes do not even know about — those rights. Prosecutors often closely guide the jurors, presenting them with certain charges and telling them about their own roles, and the review almost always remains secret. | Grand jurors are given broad powers to request evidence, call witnesses and determine which charges to pursue, but they often do not exercise — and sometimes do not even know about — those rights. Prosecutors often closely guide the jurors, presenting them with certain charges and telling them about their own roles, and the review almost always remains secret. |
| Mr. Cameron has insisted that the 12 jurors were given “all of the evidence” and were free to pursue charges against the two white officers who shot Ms. Taylor, a Black emergency room technician, even though the jurors were told the officers were justified. | Mr. Cameron has insisted that the 12 jurors were given “all of the evidence” and were free to pursue charges against the two white officers who shot Ms. Taylor, a Black emergency room technician, even though the jurors were told the officers were justified. |
| A judge gave Mr. Cameron until noon on Friday to release the recording after originally ordering its release earlier in the week. Mr. Cameron had asked for a longer delay to redact personal information about witnesses and other people from the recording. | A judge gave Mr. Cameron until noon on Friday to release the recording after originally ordering its release earlier in the week. Mr. Cameron had asked for a longer delay to redact personal information about witnesses and other people from the recording. |
| After meeting in person for two and a half days, grand jurors indicted Brett Hankison, a former detective, on three counts of “wanton endangerment” last week, saying Mr. Hankison had recklessly fired his gun during the raid after Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend — who has said he thought intruders were entering the apartment — shot an officer in the leg. | After meeting in person for two and a half days, grand jurors indicted Brett Hankison, a former detective, on three counts of “wanton endangerment” last week, saying Mr. Hankison had recklessly fired his gun during the raid after Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend — who has said he thought intruders were entering the apartment — shot an officer in the leg. |
| Mr. Hankison’s rounds did not hit anyone, investigators have said, but some of them flew into an apartment behind Ms. Taylor’s, leading to the three charges. Mr. Hankison has pleaded not guilty. | Mr. Hankison’s rounds did not hit anyone, investigators have said, but some of them flew into an apartment behind Ms. Taylor’s, leading to the three charges. Mr. Hankison has pleaded not guilty. |
| The Times has a team of reporters going through the recording. We will be providing updates here as we make our way through the audio. | |
| Grand jurors heard at least two Louisville police officers who were at the raid on Ms. Taylor’s apartment say the group knocked and announced their presence several times before breaking down the door, according to a recording of the proceedings released on Friday. | Grand jurors heard at least two Louisville police officers who were at the raid on Ms. Taylor’s apartment say the group knocked and announced their presence several times before breaking down the door, according to a recording of the proceedings released on Friday. |
| Those accounts, which have been questioned by several of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors and her boyfriend, were included among roughly 15 hours of audio filed by the attorney general on Friday, which includes interviews heard by the grand jury over several days last week. | Those accounts, which have been questioned by several of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors and her boyfriend, were included among roughly 15 hours of audio filed by the attorney general on Friday, which includes interviews heard by the grand jury over several days last week. |
| Detective Myles Cosgrove, one of the two officers who shot Ms. Taylor, said that a neighbor came outside and got into an argument with Brett Hankison, a former officer who fired his weapon during the raid and whom the grand jury indicted for endangering Ms. Taylor’s neighbors. | Detective Myles Cosgrove, one of the two officers who shot Ms. Taylor, said that a neighbor came outside and got into an argument with Brett Hankison, a former officer who fired his weapon during the raid and whom the grand jury indicted for endangering Ms. Taylor’s neighbors. |
| The unidentified neighbor yelled at them, “something about leave her alone, there was some girl there,” Detective Cosgrove said in an interview with police investigators last month that was played for the grand jury. | The unidentified neighbor yelled at them, “something about leave her alone, there was some girl there,” Detective Cosgrove said in an interview with police investigators last month that was played for the grand jury. |
| He said officers were outside knocking for 90 seconds, and that the volume escalated from “gentle knocking” to “forceful pounding” to pounding while yelling “police.” | He said officers were outside knocking for 90 seconds, and that the volume escalated from “gentle knocking” to “forceful pounding” to pounding while yelling “police.” |
| Another officer at the raid, Detective Michael Nobles, told police investigators he heard movement and voices, including a female voice, inside the apartment before the police entered. | Another officer at the raid, Detective Michael Nobles, told police investigators he heard movement and voices, including a female voice, inside the apartment before the police entered. |
| Detective Nobles, who held the battering ram that broke through Ms. Taylor’s door, said he stood at the door, knocking and announcing himself as police for one or two minutes before he used the battering ram to force his way into Ms. Taylor’s apartment. His interview was also played for grand jurors. He said it took three knocks with the battering ram to break down the door completely. | Detective Nobles, who held the battering ram that broke through Ms. Taylor’s door, said he stood at the door, knocking and announcing himself as police for one or two minutes before he used the battering ram to force his way into Ms. Taylor’s apartment. His interview was also played for grand jurors. He said it took three knocks with the battering ram to break down the door completely. |
| The first blow hit the handle, he said. The second broke the door, but left it still on the hinges. The third broke down the door completely. | The first blow hit the handle, he said. The second broke the door, but left it still on the hinges. The third broke down the door completely. |
| When he entered, Mr. Nobles said it was “pitch black,” and that Sgt. John Mattingly, one of the officers who shot Ms. Taylor, was quickly shot in the leg after the team entered the building. | When he entered, Mr. Nobles said it was “pitch black,” and that Sgt. John Mattingly, one of the officers who shot Ms. Taylor, was quickly shot in the leg after the team entered the building. |
| In previous interviews with The Times, 11 of 12 of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors said they never heard the police identify themselves. One neighbor said he heard the group say “Police,” just once. | In previous interviews with The Times, 11 of 12 of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors said they never heard the police identify themselves. One neighbor said he heard the group say “Police,” just once. |
| The only charges brought by the grand jury were three counts of “wanton endangerment in the first degree” against Mr. Hankison for his actions during the raid. | The only charges brought by the grand jury were three counts of “wanton endangerment in the first degree” against Mr. Hankison for his actions during the raid. |
| Under Kentucky law, a person commits that crime when he or she “wantonly engages in conduct which creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person,” and does so “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.” Other states may use terms like “reckless endangerment” for an equivalent offense. | Under Kentucky law, a person commits that crime when he or she “wantonly engages in conduct which creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person,” and does so “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.” Other states may use terms like “reckless endangerment” for an equivalent offense. |
| But the charges against Mr. Hankison are not for killing Ms. Taylor. None of the 10 shots he fired are known to have struck her. Instead, the Kentucky attorney general said the former detective was charged by the grand jury because the shots he fired had passed through Ms. Taylor’s apartment walls into a neighboring apartment, endangering three people there. | But the charges against Mr. Hankison are not for killing Ms. Taylor. None of the 10 shots he fired are known to have struck her. Instead, the Kentucky attorney general said the former detective was charged by the grand jury because the shots he fired had passed through Ms. Taylor’s apartment walls into a neighboring apartment, endangering three people there. |
| Mr. Hankison is charged with one count for each of the neighboring apartment’s occupants: a pregnant woman, her husband and their 5-year-old child, who were asleep. They were not hit by the shots. | Mr. Hankison is charged with one count for each of the neighboring apartment’s occupants: a pregnant woman, her husband and their 5-year-old child, who were asleep. They were not hit by the shots. |
| The crime is a Class D felony in Kentucky, which means it can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine on conviction for each count. | The crime is a Class D felony in Kentucky, which means it can carry a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine on conviction for each count. |
| A person can be guilty of wanton endangerment even if they did not intend to harm anyone or to commit a crime; it is sufficient to recklessly disregard the peril that one’s actions create. | A person can be guilty of wanton endangerment even if they did not intend to harm anyone or to commit a crime; it is sufficient to recklessly disregard the peril that one’s actions create. |
| Mr. Hankison was fired from the force. During the raid, he fired into her apartment from outside, through a sliding glass patio door and a window that were covered with blinds, in violation of a department policy that requires officers to have a line of sight. | Mr. Hankison was fired from the force. During the raid, he fired into her apartment from outside, through a sliding glass patio door and a window that were covered with blinds, in violation of a department policy that requires officers to have a line of sight. |
| The name Breonna Taylor has echoed across the nation for months as demonstrators demanded the police be held accountable for her death. | The name Breonna Taylor has echoed across the nation for months as demonstrators demanded the police be held accountable for her death. |
| Outrage over Ms. Taylor’s death has spread far from Louisville, with protests drawing crowds in cities across the United States, beginning in the spring and continuing throughout the summer. Rallying cries of “Say Her Name” have been ubiquitous at the rallies. | Outrage over Ms. Taylor’s death has spread far from Louisville, with protests drawing crowds in cities across the United States, beginning in the spring and continuing throughout the summer. Rallying cries of “Say Her Name” have been ubiquitous at the rallies. |
| The police killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white police officer’s knee, brought renewed attention to deadly episodes involving the police, including Ms. Taylor’s death, and fueled Black Lives Matter protests that persisted throughout the summer. | The police killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white police officer’s knee, brought renewed attention to deadly episodes involving the police, including Ms. Taylor’s death, and fueled Black Lives Matter protests that persisted throughout the summer. |
| In September, when the grand jury announced no charges against the officers who killed Ms. Taylor, protesters poured into the streets of Louisville with renewed strength and anger, demanding stronger charges. The protesters called for all three officers, who are white, to be held to account for Ms. Taylor’s death. | In September, when the grand jury announced no charges against the officers who killed Ms. Taylor, protesters poured into the streets of Louisville with renewed strength and anger, demanding stronger charges. The protesters called for all three officers, who are white, to be held to account for Ms. Taylor’s death. |
| Ms. Taylor’s family, too, has pleaded for justice, pushing for criminal charges against the officers. Ms. Taylor’s case has also been the center of campaigns from several celebrities and athletes, some of whom have dedicated their seasons to keeping a spotlight on her case. | Ms. Taylor’s family, too, has pleaded for justice, pushing for criminal charges against the officers. Ms. Taylor’s case has also been the center of campaigns from several celebrities and athletes, some of whom have dedicated their seasons to keeping a spotlight on her case. |
| Reporting was contributed by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Shaila Dewan, John Eligon, Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Will Wright. | Reporting was contributed by Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Shaila Dewan, John Eligon, Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio, Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Will Wright. |