Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump is the latest addition to the legal team representing the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black EMT worker who was shot eight times by Louisville Metro Police officers in her own apartment, according to USA Today.
The Taylor family hired Crump, a Tallahassee, Florida-based attorney who is known for his involvement in high-profile cases of black Americans who were killed in controversial shootings, including Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice. Crump has also taken on the case of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old black man who was shot and killed by two white men in Georgia in late February.
Taylor was shot by Louisville Metro Police officers who had entered her apartment around 1 AM on March 13. Police claim the officers were there to serve a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation, but there were no drugs found at the EMT’s home.
“We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department,” Crump said. “Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, the department has not provided any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred, nor have they taken responsibility for her senseless killing.”
Crump joins local attorneys Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker in representing the family. Crump, who called Taylor’s death “inexcusable” said no one from Louisville police has been held accountable for her death.
Taylor’s family filed a lawsuit alleging that police fired more than 20 rounds into her home, striking objects in the living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, both bedrooms, and into an adjacent residence where a 5-year-old child and pregnant mother were present.
The lawsuit alleges wrongful death, excessive force, and gross negligence on the part of the police officers. They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as legal fees through a jury trial.
“Breonna had committed no crime, posed no immediate threat to the safety of the defendants, and did not actively resist or attempt to evade arrest prior to being repeatedly shot and killed by the defendants,” the suit says.