Viola Davis, George Clooney, More Celebs React To Breonna Taylor Case

Celebrities are reacting after news that a Kentucky grand jury will indict only one of the police officers being investigated for their roles in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced via press conference on Wednesday afternoon that Louisville detective Brett Hankinson would not be indicted for his involvement in Taylor’s death.  Instead he was charged with three counts of the class D felony of wanton endangerment for ‘wantonly firing his gun’ into an adjoining apartment.

Viola Davis expressed her outrage online, calling the outcome a ‘Bulls*** decision!!!’

‘BLACK LIVES MATTER!!! Cannot be said enough times,’ the Oscar-winning actress, 55, went on, also reposting messages from the NAACP and TV One.

Bulls— decision!!! BLACK LIVES MATTER!!! Cannot be said enough times. https://t.co/HOrDQzHJ0d

— Viola Davis (@violadavis) September 23, 2020

Kentucky native George Clooney released a statement to Deadline after the Kentucky AG invited outsiders to keep their opinions to themselves.

“I was born and raised in Kentucky. Cut tobacco on the farms of Kentucky. Both my parents and my sister live in Kentucky. I own a home in Kentucky, and I was there last month. The justice system I was raised to believe in holds people responsible for their actions. Her name was Breonna Taylor and she was shot to death in her bed by 3 white police officers, who will not be charged with any crime for her death. I know the community. I know the commonwealth. And I was taught in the schools and churches of Kentucky what is right and what is wrong. I’m ashamed of this decision.”

Fellow star Kerry Washington expressed her anger while sharing a post by the ACLU, which said: ‘Today’s verdict is not accountability and not close to justice.’

Later she criticized Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron for acting politically, tweeting: ‘Daniel Cameron is on Donald Trump´s short list as replacement of #RGB on the Supreme Court. The same man who decided to not charge the officers responsible for killing #BreonnaTaylor. Vote.’

R&B singer Eric Benet also pointed to the inherent environment of white supremacy within the white house and urged people to vote.

The President of the United States is a WHITE SUPREMACIST.
Do not expect justice for yourself or anyone else until he and his Republican accomplices are VOTED OUT OF OFFICE! #BidenHarris2020

— Eric Benét (@ebenet) September 23, 2020

Activist/actress Yara Shahidi, 20, called the decision ‘insulting,’ telling her half-a-million Twitter followers: ‘What is most insulting is that the recommended charges aren’t even in response to the MURDER of Breonna Taylor, but to the POTENTIAL injury of other people in the apartment…..’

What is most insulting is that the recommended charges aren't even in response to the MURDER of Breonna Taylor, but to the POTENTIAL injury of other people in the apartment…..

— Yara shahidi (@YaraShahidi) September 23, 2020

Others like Ava DuVernay sent love and support to Taylor’s family and urged their followers to still SAY HER NAME.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Our sis. We live in a world of crooks with titles and criminals with badges that will not give you justice today. But justice will come. And it will come from us. Pushing and pulling, plotting and protesting, piercing the blue walls designed to terrorize us. Justice will come. Not today. But it will. Until then, we give you what we can. We give you glory. That word means that we will take pride in you. We will honor you. We will never forget you. We can give you this today. And tomorrow. And onward. 🙏🏾

A post shared by Ava DuVernay (@ava) on Sep 23, 2020 at 1:35pm PDT

 

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No words. #USorELSE✊🏽

A post shared by TIP (@troubleman31) on Sep 23, 2020 at 3:30pm PDT

my heart is broken for the family of Breonna Taylor. once again we’re left with nothing that they try to make seem as something 💔

— Ella Mai (@ellamai) September 23, 2020

 

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NO JUSTICE FOR #BREONNATAYLOR !! WHY… BECAUSE #DANIELCAMERON PLAYED TO HIS CONSTITUENTS. BECAUSE DANIEL CAMERON PUT HIS ASPIRATIONS AHEAD OF JUSTICE. HIM SPEAKING AT THE #RNC WAS A CLEAR LINE IN THE SAND. ASK THE FAMILY OF BREONNA TAYLOR IF THEY’D RATHER HAVE JUSTICE OR 12 MILLION DOLLARS. WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT!! #TeamDL A little note from The GED Section

A post shared by realdlhughley (@realdlhughley) on Sep 23, 2020 at 1:38pm PDT