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Breonna Taylor Family Press Conference. Aired 11-11:30a ET
Aired September 25, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR BREONNA TAYLOR'S FAMILY: Breonna's legacy will be that black women life matters too.
(APPLAUSE)
So, when we think about this Grand Jury proceeding, if you want us to accept the results, then release the transcript.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right. That's right.
CRUMP: Release the transcript so we can have transparency. And if you did everything that you could do on Breonna's behalf, you shouldn't have any problem whatsoever, Daniel Cameron, to releasing the transcript so that we can see you fought for all of Kentucky citizens, especially including Tamika Palmer's daughter, Breonna Taylor. Release the transcript. Release the transcript.
(CRUMP AND CROWD CHANTING: Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts! Release the transcripts!)
CRUMP: You all, I don't know if Daniel Cameron can hear us. Let's say it from the heart so not only Daniel Cameron can hear us, but Breonna Taylor can hear us from heaven what we want Daniel Cameron, the Kentucky Attorney General to do on three. One, two, three.
(CRUMP AND CROWD CHANTING: Release the transcripts!)
CRUMP: At this time, you know, before I bring up one of the greatest lawyers, one of the greatest secrets in Louisville, Kentucky, my co- counsel, my sister, my co-warrior, Lonita Baker. I would be remised if I didn't tell you, Breonna, people -- I'm sorry. Tamika, people who are in the fraternity that you're in from all over America, a fraternity that no parent wants to be in with far too many black mothers and fathers are part of, have sent their pledge of support to stand with you. All of them can't come like Mr. Jacob Blake, Sr., but all of them sent their support.
When the announcement came out for Philonise Floyd and Rodney Floyd and Bridgett Floyd, the brothers and sisters of George Floyd who was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, were the first ones to pledge their support. And then right after that, Lonita, we got a call from Sybrina Fultons, Trayvon Martin's mother.
Then right after that, we got a text from Michael Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden.
And then right after that, we got a call from Botham Jean's mother who was killed in his apartment in Dallas, Texas. And we got a call from his mother, Allison Jean, and his sister, Alissa Findley.
We got a call from House Representatives Lucy McBath, who fathered Jordan Davis. Her son was killed for playing loud music.
We got a call from Dr. Tiffany Crutcher and the twin sister of Terence Crutcher, who was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That was hands up, don't shoot on video, Tamika.
We got a call from Gwen Carr, Eric Garner's mother from Staten Island, New York.
We got a call from Tamir Rice's mother, Samaria Rice.
We got a call from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Philando Castile's mother.
We got a call from Stephon Clark's brother, Stevante, and grandmother who was killed in Sacramento, California.
We got notified that Sandra Bland's mother is pledging her support to be with you.
We got notified that Ezell Ford, our brother who was having a mental health crisis in Los Angeles, California, is pledging his support.
[11:05:03]
Dijon Kizzie, who was shot 15 times two weeks ago in the back by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. I left Los Angeles coming here. His aunt, who raised him literally a week before you, even though she had just lost her nephew who she raised as her own son.
Josef Richardson's mother, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
I mean the list goes on and on and on. So, we are here declaring in Breonna's Taylor's name enough is enough America.
(CRUMP AND CROWD CHANTING: Enough is enough America! Enough is enough America! Enough is enough America! Enough is enough America! Enough is enough America! Enough is enough America! Enough is enough America!)
CRUMP: Please join me in welcoming a great champion for justice, my co-counsel from the law firm of Sam Aguiar, who's also present with us here and deserves acknowledgment.
(APPLAUSE)
A great, great lawyer. We give you Attorney Lonita Baker. LONITA BAKER, ATTORNEY FOR BREONNA TAYLOR'S FAMILY: I know Attorney Crump has demanded that we release the transcript and I echo that demand. And we don't want to hear that you can't release the transcript because you released the recording of Kenny Walker's Grand Jury proceedings so you can release the recordings. And we demand that you released the recordings, but not only do we want the recordings and the transcript, what we also want is for you to quit dodging the questions, Daniel Cameron. You were asked at the press conference did you make a recommendation? You refused to answer. Answer the question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): Answer the question.
BAKER: And I've asked you several times, did you even present any charges regarding Breonna Taylor to the Grand Jury?
I don't want to hear that the grand jury determined this, if it's your office that unilaterally determined not to charge any officers with the death of Breonna Taylor. You can't pawn this off on the grand jury if your office made that decision, and we, the voters, deserve the right to know who is it that we need to say got it wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
BAKER: Did the grand jury get it wrong in using the defensive justification, or did your office get it wrong? Because what we know in Kentucky, and what many of you may not know, is I practiced criminal law for 13 years in this commonwealth of Kentucky. I did it as a prosecutor and a defense attorney. I know the law of self-defense in Kentucky, and I know that you don't have the right to use the defense of self-defense when you injure or kill an innocent third party. And what we know from Sergeant Mattingly's own testimony to the public integrity unit is that he saw that Breonna Taylor was unarmed. His own testimony. He saw Breonna Taylor was unarmed.
And then you made a lot of it, you put a lot of attention on the bullet - the fatal - the fatal shot to Breonna Taylor being made back at Myles Cosgrove. If he wasn't able to see Breonna Taylor to also see that she was unarmed, then he also was firing just as recklessly as Brett Hankison, and he deserves to be here charged with one murder of Breonna Taylor. If he didn't see her, he didn't have target acquisition. He deserves to be charged right now.
So, don't tell us that the grand jury made this determination if it was truly your determination. Answer that question head-on. Was it your office's decision, or was it the grand jury's decision? Release the transcript.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): Release the transcripts.
BAKER: And I know we have a lot going on, and I've been angry. I have been angry, and I'm angry because, as I said, I've worked in this system. I worked as a prosecutor who fought so hard to make sure I was administering justice, regardless of who the victim was, regardless of who the perpetrator was. And that's the only way that the system is going to work, is to have prosecutors, Daniel Cameron, that work for us. And Daniel Cameron, I do - I took offense to you not being fully upfront with Tamika Palmer when we met with you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): Right.
BAKER: I take true offense to that. And you have to know your legal obligations as a prosecutor is to inform the family, to talk to the family, to keep them informed on what's going on. You failed to do that, and you failed to be fully honest with her when we met with you while the grand jury report was being relayed to the public.
[11:10:07]
So, you told us we would know in advance. We learned at same time that America learned. That's unacceptable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right. That's right.
(APPLAUSE)
BAKER: We have a right to be angry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
BAKER: But I do want to talk to those of us who have been on the ground. We can't let the anger consume us because we've still got work to do, and we can't fully think when we're consumed by anger. And so, I've been praying. I've been praying this morning to not let the anger that's been inside of me consume me and come out today, because I know we have work to do.
I'm dressed down today because I'm staying down here. Because I want LMPD majors who say that we're the ones out here washing cars or checking you out at Walmart, no we're not. We're lawyers. We're businesspeople. We're city employees just like you.
(APPLAUSE)
And guess what? Even if I was washing your car, it doesn't matter. I have a right to use my voice. Two years ago, I was checking people in and out of a hotel, too, while I was still practicing as a lawyer. Guess what? When I was there, I was the same person that I am practicing law.
So, LMPD, you have to change your mentality of who you're fighting. You're not going to have the city of Louisville believe that Attica Scott, Shameka Parish, Rhonda Mathis, and those who were with them was burning down a library.
(APPLAUSE)
Stop the lies. We can't move forward with the lies. We can't move forward with the lies. We know that we need healing. And we know that this city needs healing. And we're willing to do our part, but you have to do your part. And until you start doing your part, we won't heal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
BAKER: We're here. We're here when you're ready to listen to us, to come down. And I challenge those of you who are off today. You don't have to come down and protest, but I challenge you to come down here and listen to the people who are protesting. Those of you who are elected officers, come down here during the day. Listen to the protesters. Businesspeople who have sent me inboxes "we support you," support us by coming down here, showing them that we are not -- we are not just car washers checking people out. There are so many more people down here.
And quit skewing. Media, quit skewing the way that people are protesting. You know the majority of the people down here are non- violent. You've been down here for 120 days. You know it. Quit making it seem like they're violent. They're not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's why we're -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): LMPD --
BAKER: Yes, shoutout to LADbible, to live streamers because that is how we're learning the truth. That is how we're learning the truth.
Regular media, take a cue. Film it all. Don't slant it. Tell the truth.
LMPD, tell the whole truth. Everybody tell the whole truth, including you, Daniel Cameron. Did you make the decision, or did the grand jury make the decision?
(APPLAUSE)
CRUMP: That's why I call her my co-warrior. Not co-counselor, co- warrior. Lonita Baker.
(APPLAUSE)
Let me repeat that. Maybe they didn't hear me. That's why I call her my co-warrior. Not co-counselor, co-warrior.
(APPLAUSE)
And Attorney Aguiar, the secret's out of the bag now. The secret is out the bag. What a great, well-kept secret Kentucky has an attorney, Lonita Baker, in it. Well, I tell you, it's a wake-up call to these elected officials because she represents the most talented, most articulate, most intellectual representative of this city that we have to offer. And so, if you don't do your job, it's going to be people like Tamika - I'm sorry, like Lonita Baker, or others, who are going to take your seat.
(APPLAUSE) Before we bring this next champion of justice up, we want to have a statement from the family. You know, Sam and (INAUDIBLE) for 191 days, people all across America, people elected in Washington like Senator Kamala Harris, people in the National Basketball Association and Women's National Basketball Association, NFL players, and celebrities who we all called to the protest.
[11:15:24]
You all remember, they came to the Capitol, like Jada Pinkett Smith and Common and so many others. Rhapsody, so many others. But more importantly, just regular people, regular folk. Black, white, Hispanic, native, all over the world have been saying, "Say her name." And how insulting was it on the indictment that Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron didn't mention her name one time.
So, Tamika Palmer, before we bring your sister up to speak, I want you all to do me a favor. Since he didn't say it in indictment, say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Say her name.
CROWD CHANTING: Breonna Taylor.
CRUMP: Next, we will hear from the sister of Tamika Palmer, the aunt of Breonna Taylor, Bianca Austin, who, I will tell you, before we were fighting for Breonna Taylor, she was like the lawyer on the frontlines, leading the protests. It is aptly appropriate for Bianca to come and make a statement on behalf of the family. So, I would ask for the charity of your undivided attention while she reads a message from the family and especially from the heart of Brianna's mother, Tamika Palmer. Please, Miss Austin.
BIANCA AUSTIN, BREONNA TAYLOR'S AUNT: Thank you. Thank you. Well, I'm standing here today, I'm going to represent my niece in her EMT jacket. I chose this to have her be a part of us today. Also, I just want to shout out to our family. It's been a long six months and it's been a wild roller coaster. Not only have we been out here fighting for justice for Breonna, but we are continuing to lose our family members to cancer, to COVID, to being murdered. And so, my message to you is just cry your tears, lift your head up, and keep stepping.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): I hear you, Bianca.
AUSTIN: And most of you know this has been emotionally, mentally, and physically draining for my sister, so I'm going to do the honor and read her thoughts after Daniel Cameron's decision. And I quote:
"I never had faith in Daniel Cameron to begin with. I knew he was too inexperienced to deal with a job of this caliber. I knew he had already chosen to be on the wrong side of the law the moment he wanted the grand jury to make the decision. What I had hoped is that he knew he had the power to do the right thing, that he had the power to start the healing of this city, that he had the power to help mend over 400 years of oppression. What he helped me realize is that it will always be us against them, that we are never safe when it comes to them. Mattingly, in an email, called us animals and thugs. It's clear that that is the way that they will always see us.
I was reassured Wednesday of why I have no faith in the legal system, in the police, in the law. They are not made to protect us black and brown people. But when I speak on it, I'm considered an angry black woman, but know this: I am an angry black woman. I am not angry for the reasons that you would like me to be."
[11:20:01]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
AUSTIN: I'm sorry.
"But angry because our black women keep dying at the hands of police officers, and black men. OK. Angry because our children are dying at the hands of police officers. And I'm angry because this nation is learning that our black women dying at the hands of police officers, and this is not OK. You can take the dog out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of the dog."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): Say it again. Say that again.
AUSTIN: "For lack of better terms, bark bark for being the dog, still standing to fight.
I knew Cameron would never do his job, but what I do know is that him and countless others will go to bed sleeping with Breonna's face, still hearing her say her name." UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
AUSTIN: "Cameron alone didn't fail her, but it ended with a lack of investigation failed her. The officer who told a lie to obtain the search warrant failed her. The judge who signed the search warrant failed her. The terrorists who broke down her door failed her. The system as a whole has failed her.
You didn't just rob me of my family, you robbed the world of a queen. A queen willing to do a job that most of us could never stomach to do, a queen willing to build up anyone around her, a queen who was starting to pave her path.
I hope you never have to know the pain of knowing your child is in need of help and you're not able to give it. I hope you never hear the sounds of seeing someone cry and beg for your child to get help, and she never receives help. Those cries were ignored. I hope you never know the pain of your child being murdered 191 days in a row." Tamika Palmer.
I am so sorry you got to go through this. So sorry. It's unacceptable. But your family got your back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): Yes.
AUSTIN: We're not going nowhere.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): We got your back.
AUSTIN: Until freedom has your back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right.
AUSTIN: Lonita has your back, your daddy has your back. And guess what? This park, these people that's out here stomping on these grounds, has your back.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (OFF-MIKE): That's right. That's right.
(CROSSTALK)
CRUMP: Thank you. Thank you, Bianca. And thank you for reading the words from a mother's heart, a heart that is broken. Thank you, Bianca. That was heartfelt. Every mother around the world could feel Tamika's pain. Can we just take a moment for a second to reflect on what we just heard?
Just know we love you, Tamika Palmer. We're standing with you.
It's OK, you can get me as wet as you want.
(LAUGHTER)
What a wonderful soul. At this time, I really mean it, because when Lonita and Sam called me, you know black women are often disrespected. I mean we were calling people in the media, and we noticed the (INAUDIBLE) now, but people were not trying to do stories on Breonna Taylor, this black woman who was killed by the police. And a lot of people did not return my calls as we were begging to give attention to Breonna Taylor. But I got to tell you, a lot of people did answer the call.
And I won't go through the list, but one young woman who answered the call, I had known she was a champion for justice, five days fighting for Trayvon Martin and so many other families that have been inflicted with this police terrorism that claimed the lives of their loved ones.
[11:25:12]
And not only did she answer the bell, she said, "Crump, we are not going to leave this until we get charges." And it was deep to me, Lonita. And you remember, we then started going on her social media and doing the Instagram Lives, just to try to bring awareness to Breonna Taylor's name. And I remember others allowing us to use their platform. And I don't want to take anything away from Rickey Smiley and Charlemagne and Tesla Figaro and Reverend Al Sharpton, (INAUDIBLE), but this young lady, almost every day, went on social media and followed Ju'Niyah's lead. Because remember, Tamika, Ju'Niyah every day went on social media and said, "My sister Breonna Taylor's life matters," when nobody else was listening.
But then this young lady got involved and had us on Sam, on her social media every day and we strategized every day. And then she said, you know what Crump, me and my organization until freedom, we're moving to Louisville, Kentucky, and we're going to stay every day because if Tamika Palmer can't sleep in peace, neither can we and we're going to come and be in solidarity together demanding justice for Breonna Taylor.
And for, I think now over four months, you all have been here, living here this whole time. And that's why I call her the queen of the movement for justice for Breonna Taylor, my sister, my warrior, my freedom fighter, Tamika Mallory.
TAMIKA MALLORY, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: No justice.
CROWD: No peace.
MALLORY: No justice.
CROWD: No peace.
MALLORY: No justice.
CROWD: No peace.
MALLORY: No justice.
CROWD: No peace.
MALLORY: And if there isn't going to be no justice.
CROWD: There isn't going to be no peace.
MALLORY: You know I want to read something to you all that I learned of just the day after Daniel Cameron's decision. It says, "It is a great honor to receive the endorsement of the bipartisan Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police. To the men and women in blue, I pledge to be your advocate and your voice every day. When I first got into this race, I did so to bring focus to the public safety challenge of our lifetime, the drug crisis. And there is so much work to be done to fight this epidemic. I am humbled to have this endorsement and as the chief law enforcement officer in Kentucky, I will work every day to make our community safer and our families and citizens more secure."
Half of that -- that statement is from Daniel Cameron -
JOHN KING, CNN HOST: I'm John King in Washington. You've been watching an emotional, tearful, powerful statement by the mother of Breonna Taylor, family members, and legal members in Louisville, Kentucky. Tamika Palmer is Breonna Taylor's mother. Breonna Taylor, of course, gunned down in her apartment back March by Louisville police officers. She did not speak because of the emotions but her sister read a very powerful statement. Very powerful statement. And in all of the statements we heard in Louisville in the past 30 minutes or so.
A stark condemnation of the Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron for his -- the grand jury's decision to not charge any of the police officers involved directly, any charges related to the death of Breonna Taylor. One officer was charged with reckless endangerment, a wanton endangerment for randomly firing bullets during that raid.
I want to bring in our CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson to start this discussion. Joey, a lot to talk about. Part of it is just the power, the emotions of this family, which since March has been demanding justice, which since March has been hoping there would be justice. And now they feel violated. My word, not theirs, but disappointed in the Kentucky attorney general.
So, you have the emotion and the power of Breonna's mother's statement, read by her sister, which is remarkable. And you have the demands from the attorneys present, the civil rights activists present, the family members present for the attorney general to release the transcripts of the grand jury proceeding, because they say they want to see exactly what he did, and I think more importantly, what he didn't do in presenting that case.
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, John.
