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Title: 'Justice for Breonna Taylor Act': Rand Paul filing bill to ban no-knock warrants nationwide
Source:
Louisville Courier-Journal
URL Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/sto ... -no-knock-warrants/5345478002/
Published: Jun 11, 2020
Author: Phillip M. Bailey, Tessa Duvall
Post Date: 2020-06-14 02:51:35 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 1853
Comments: 10
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is filing legislation to prohibit police officers across the country from using no-knock warrants like the one that led to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor. The measure will be named after Taylor, a 26-year-old unarmed black woman whose fatal shooting by three Louisville police officers has fueled national protests. Paul confirmed on Thursday that he is drafting the proposal, which he is calling the "Justice for Breonna Taylor Act." "After talking with Breonna Taylor's family, I've come to the conclusion that it's long past time to get rid of no-knock warrants," he said. "This bill will effectively end no-knock raids in the United States." Under the bill, federal law enforcement officers would be required to provide notice of their authority and purpose before they could execute a warrant. The legislation also would require the same of any state or local law enforcement agency that receives funds from the U.S. Department of Justice. Paul, a Kentucky Republican, began crafting the bill after talking with activists and members of Taylor's family earlier this week. Rand Paul:The bar for firing officers in police abuse cases should be low Related:Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank During the meeting, Paul, a libertarian-leaning senator, spoke out against the use of no-knock search warrants and the militarization of police departments. He said during that conversation that police officers sometimes follow bad policies. Tamika Palmer, Taylor's mother, told The Courier Journal on Thursday she is grateful the senator took her family's concerns seriously enough to file a measure in Congress. "I think it's just the beginning, but I'm definitely satisfied," she said. "I definitely think it will help families after mine." Taylor was shot eight times by plainclothes detectives March 13 while they were conducting a narcotics investigation. Court records show police obtained a no-knock warrant before using a battering ram to enter Taylor's apartment around 1 a.m. Police say they announced their presence before entering, but neighbors and Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who was in the apartment, dispute that. Walker fired once, striking one officer. He later said he thought intruders were breaking in. The officers returned fire, killing Taylor. The warrant showed Taylor was not the main subject of the narcotics investigation, and no narcotics were found in her apartment. "No one should lose their life in pursuit of a crime without a victim, and 'no-knock' warrants should be forbidden," Paul told The Courier Journal in May. "Let’s hope the investigation provides justice." Paul's bill arrives as local leaders are looking to pass a similar prohibition on no-knock warrants in Louisville in the wake of Taylor's fatal shooting. The Louisville Metro Council voted unanimously Thursday evening to ban the controversial police practice across the city. Mayor Greg Fischer, a Democrat who has come under intense pressure to fire the three officers who shot Taylor, had already suspended the practice. The mayor announced previously that no-knock warrants must now have the approval of the chief of police or a designee before being submitted to a judge. The U.S. Supreme Court has said judges may allow police to search without knocking when they have a reasonable suspicion that under the “particular circumstances” of the case, the targets could destroy evidence. But critics have argued no-knock warrants put officers and civilians in danger, especially given that many states have adopted so-called stand your ground laws. "This is definitely the time to turn the pressure up," Louisville attorney Lonita Baker, who is representing the Taylor family, said in an interview Thursday. "People are paying attention and legislators are paying attention locally, state level and nationally. We need to get all of the reform in while they're listening." Paul is known to be one of the fiercest defenders of Fourth Amendment rights in Congress. He expressed concern that local law enforcement is becoming too militarized during the 2013 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, over the shooting of a black teenager. Florida-based attorney Benjamin Crump, who is also representing Taylor's family, is a nationally recognized lawyer who has been involved in some of the highest profile cases of police shootings of African Americans. He said Taylor's mother and other advocates who have continued to protest and petition on behalf of the family should be given credit for persuading Paul. "We're trying to get justice for Breonna but also to try to change the culture and behavior of police with these dangerous and unconstitutional no-knock warrants," Crump said. Paul's move comes about a week after he faced deafening criticism for blocking a historic anti-lynching bill sponsored by a bipartisan group of black lawmakers. The senator argued he was looking to strengthen the bill. "There's not many things Rand Paul and I agree on, but where we can find common ground to try to make this a more perfect union, I think we should," Crump said, "especially when it comes to policing right now, and the fact there appears to be two justice systems: one for black America and one for white America." Reach Phillip M. Bailey at pbailey@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4475. Follow him on Twitter at @phillipmbailey.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 5.
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
He is also hands down the best representation anyone has in DC.
Cite one piece of his major legislation that has passed.
Because he isn't an asshole like you. He is honest. He is almost always right. If your cucks you vote for weren't there it would be a better Senate. Why do you support assholes like you did for Mcasshole?
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestPaul is known to be one of the fiercest defenders of Fourth Amendment rights in Congress.
#4. To: A K A Stone (#2)
Rand Paul ...
You can’t?
That’s because one never has.
He’s all talk and no action.
Why does that impress you?
#5. To: Gatlin (#4)
Why does that impress you?
Replies to Comment # 5.
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