MSBNC’s Joy Reid on Taylor indictment: ‘Stop expecting justice from this system’ and vote

MSNBC’s Joy Reid on Wednesday urged her followers on social media to vote and “change the system” after a Kentucky grand jury indicted a Louisville police officer on wanton endangerment charges, failing to bring more serious charges against law enforcement officers in the killing of Breonna Taylor.

“Stop expecting justice from this system. Vote in better political leaders and change the system. As it stands now, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not held even close to equally by every American. The only way to change that is to change who governs us,” the anchor tweeted.

Stop expecting justice from this system. Vote in better political leaders and change the system. As it stands now, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not held even close to equally by every American. The only way to change that is to change who governs us.

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 23, 2020

The Kentucky grand jury indicted Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson on three counts of wanton endangerment. Two other officers who fired their guns were not charged, and no murder charges were brought.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said after the grand jury announcement that the other two officers were justified in defending themselves by firing.

Cameron said Wednesday that “I understand that Breonna Taylor’s death is part of a national story, but the facts and evidence in this case are different than others” that involve police shootings. 

He also noted that “the decision before my office is not to decide if the loss of Breonna Taylor’s life was a tragedy — the answer to that question is unequivocally yes.”

Reid called out Cameron following he remarks, saying that Taylor’s death was a “robbery” of her life.

“Daniel Cameron just called Breonna Taylor’s death ‘part of a national story.’ No, man. Her death is a robbery. Those officers robbed her of her life. They robbed her family and her boyfriend of their loved one. They robbed Louisville of a first responder. Who elected this man?” Reid shared.

Daniel Cameron just called Breonna Taylor’s death “part of a national story.” No, man. Her death is a robbery. Those officers robbed her of her life. They robbed her family and her boyfriend of their loved one. They robbed Louisville of a first responder. Who elected this man?

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 23, 2020

Apparently, no one killed Breonna Taylor. She simply died in a “tragedy.” Like she had a hard fall or got hit by a bus. This apparently is the law in thr State of Kentucky, according to @kyoag Cameron.

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 23, 2020

Daniel Cameron will be up for re-election in 2024.

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 23, 2020

Louisville police officers, including Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, entered Taylor’s Louisville apartment in plainclothes March 13 on a no-knock warrant. Cameron has said that the officers knocked before entering Taylor’s home and identified themselves, although her family has disputed it.

Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, believed the officers were intruders and opened fire. The officers returned fire, and Taylor was hit multiple times and killed. 

Her death was invoked during nationwide protests calling for police reforms and racial equality across the country over the summer, in addition to the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia and other Black Americans.