Officer Involved in Breonna Taylor Incident Takes Legal Action Against Taylor's Boyfriend
Louisville, Kentucky, police Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly has filed a lawsuit against Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend, alleging assault, battery and emotional distress after the March 13 shooting at Taylor’s apartment.
Police have said that Kenneth Walker fired the shot that struck Mattingly in the thigh that night, NBC News reported.
The lawsuit alleges that Walker’s conduct was “outrageous, intolerable and offends all accepted standards of decency and morality.”
“Walker did intentionally shoot Mattingly or acted recklessly in firing his pistol in the direction of the Police Officers who were serving a search warrant,” the suit reads.
Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman, was killed on March 13 when police executed a search warrant at her apartment during a narcotics investigation.
Although Taylor’s address was listed on the warrant, the target of the investigation — an ex-boyfriend — lived at a different location, according to NBC News.
Police opened fire in response to a shot fired at them by Taylor’s boyfriend. That shot reportedly struck Mattingly.
Walker, a licensed gun owner, has said he thought the officers were intruders, according to CBS News.
A Kentucky grand jury indicted Louisville police officer Brett Hankison for wanton endangerment in the incident; he was fired from the department in June, The Washington Post reported.
Mattingly and Officer Myles Cosgrove were not charged because their actions were justified in returning fire as Walker fired at them, according to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
According to his lawsuit, Mattingly has experienced “severe trauma, mental anguish and emotional distress” because of Walker’s actions.
“Mattingly was shot and nearly killed by Kenneth Walker,” Mattingly’s attorney, Kent Wicker, said.
“He’s entitled to, and should, use the legal process to seek a remedy for the injury that Walker has caused him.”
Mattingly is seeking a jury trial and damages.
In the counterclaim, Mattingly alleges that Kenneth Walker’s shot that night was “outrageous, intolerable and offends all accepted standards of decency or morality.”
— Courier Journal (@courierjournal) October 30, 2020
Walker was initially arrested and charged with attempted murder following the incident, but the charges were dropped. He has also sued the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department and sought immunity based on Kentucky’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
Walker’s attorney said Mattingly’s lawsuit is “a baseless attempt to further victimize and harass Kenny,” CBS News reported.
“Kenny Walker is protected by law under KRS 503.085 and is immune from both criminal prosecution and civil liability as he was acting in self defense in his own home,” attorney Steve Romines said in a statement.
“Even the most basic understanding of Kentucky’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law and the ‘Castle Doctrine’ evidences this fact.
“One would think that breaking into the apartment, executing his girlfriend and framing him for a crime in an effort to cover up her murder would be enough for them.”
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