Kentucky AG Will Release Recordings of the Breonna Taylor Case After Grand Juror Speaks Out

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced last night that his office would release the records of the grand jury proceedings in the Breonna Taylor murder case. The release comes at the request of an anonymous grand juror, who filed a motion in the Jefferson Circuit Court to release grand jury transcripts and recordings related to the investigation.

Kevin Glogower, the attorney for the grand juror, spoke at a press conference earlier, saying, “My client wants to make sure the truth gets out,” adding, “This is an issue that is about accountability, it is about public trust and it is about transparency, …. What was presented [to jurors] is not being publicly disclosed.”

Glogower continued, “This is something where the juror is not seeking any fame, any acclaim, any money,” and alleged that AG Cameron “misrepresented the grand jury’s deliberations and failed to offer the panel the option of indicting the two officers who fatally shot the young woman.”

The request comes a week after the infuriating and unjust lack of charges against the three police officers who burst down Taylor’s door and murdered her while she slept. Taylor’s murder at the hands of police, along with that of George Floyd, sparked renewed Black Lives Matter marches and protests across the globe. Only one of the cops, former officer Brett Hankison, was charged with 3 counts of Wanton Endangerment in the 1st Degree—and that charge didn’t even apply to Taylor herself, but to the neighboring empty apartments. Because in America, empty property is still assigned more value than the lives of Black women.

The grand juror’s request was described by a former Kentucky prosecutor as “totally surprising and tremendously uncommon,” but marks a dramatic shift in the ways in which the public are confronting rampant police brutality and demanding answers and accountability. In addition to requesting the release of the information regarding the case, the juror asked for a declaration from the AG that would allow any grand jurors the right to disclose information publicly without fear of reprisal.

Judge Ann Bailey Smith ordered tapes and transcripts in the case to be made available to the courts as of 12PM on Wednesday, September 30.

Cameron’s office released a statement saying, “The Grand Jury is meant to be a secretive body. It’s apparent that the public interest in this case isn’t going to allow that to happen. As the special prosecutor, our team has an ethical obligation not to release the recording from the Grand Jury proceedings, and we stand by our belief that such a release could compromise the ongoing federal investigation and could have unintended consequences such as poisoning the jury pool. Despite these concerns, we will comply with the Judge’s order to release the recording on Wednesday.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear appeared on CNN, saying he requested that the attorney general post evidence online. “We ought to be able to see the evidence and see the facts that led to that conclusion,” Beshear said, adding, “I trust the people of Kentucky with the truth. I trust them to be able to look at the facts, but they’re not able to do that right now.”

(via NY Times, featured image: image: JEFF DEAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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