DOJ charges officers in Breonna Taylor’s death

Four officers are charged over the death of Breonna Taylor; WNBA star Brittney Griner is sentenced to nine years in prison.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

Four officers face charges in Breonna Taylor's death

 Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Frontline Action Hub

• The Department of Justice charged four current and former Louisville police officers over their involvement in the nighttime raid that killed Breonna Taylor. [New York Times / Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs]
• In March 2020, police investigating drug trafficking killed 26-year-old Taylor during a raid on her apartment, setting off a wave of racial justice protests. [Washington Post / Marisa Iati, Timothy Bella, and David Nakamura]
• Federal officials allege former officer Joshua Jaynes, and current officers Kelly Goodlett and Kyle Meany, falsified an affidavit to obtain a search warrant for Taylor’s home and conspired to cover up their involvement afterward. [CNN / Eliott C. McLaughlin, Sonia Moghe, and Hannah Rabinowitz]
• Fired officer Brett Hankison is charged with the unconstitutional use of force for firing 10 shots through a window and door while the "no-knock" warrant was being served. [Axios / Jacob Knutson]
• Last year, the Department of Justice opened an investigation into the Louisville police department’s policies and training. The probe, separate from Thursday’s indictment, is ongoing. [Louisville Courier Journal / Billy Kobin and Andrew Wolfson]

Brittney Griner gets nine years in prison

• Thursday, a Russian judge sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison on charges of bringing drugs into the country. [People / Julie Mazziota]
• Griner has been detained in Russia, where she also plays for a professional basketball team, since February, when Russian officials found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage. [Associated Press / Jim Heintz]
• Griner received a near-maximum sentence for drug possession and smuggling and more than $16,000 in fines. Her lawyers plan to appeal. [Yahoo / Jeff Eisenberg]
• However, the sentencing could clear the path for a US-Russia prisoner swap, if Griner is exchanged for a Russian arms dealer. [Reuters]

The Biden administration has declared a public health emergency to help combat the spread of monkeypox. [NYT / Apoorva Mandavilli and Sheryl Gay Stolberg]

• China launched a series of missiles around Taiwan on Thursday in a show of force following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. [Washington Post / Lily Kuo, Christian Shepherd, and Ellen Nakashima]
• Over the weekend, a mysterious sinkhole 656 feet deep opened near a Chilean mining town. [NPR / Wynne Davis]
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended state prosecutor Andrew Warren for refusing to criminalize abortion or health care for trans people. [CNN / Steve Contorno]

  Support our journalism

Reader contributions help keep newsletters like Sentences free for all. Support our work with a one-time gift today.

“Breonna Taylor should be alive today.”

[Attorney General Merrick Garland / Louisville Courier Journal]

Even Better: Activism when you don't know where to start 

Every Thursday in August, you'll hear Even Better on Vox Conversations, a special series focused on helping people live better lives individually and collectively.

Read more from Vox

The ludicrous idea that Trump is losing his grip on the GOP

Should you get another Covid-19 vaccine booster now or wait for the new shots?

The inflation prices that broke us

Did shark attacks eat into Woodrow Wilson’s votes in 1916?

How Gordon Ramsay’s lamb slaughter joke explains our confusing relationship with meat

This email was sent to you. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution.

View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service.

Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036.
Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.