Officer wounded in raid that killed Breonna Taylor gets book deal

Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, the Louisville police officer who was shot when raiding Breonna Taylor’s home, will be writing and publishing a book on the incident.

The Courier-Journal reports that Mattingly’s book, “The Fight For Truth: The Inside Story Behind the Breonna Taylor Tragedy” will be published through Tennessee-based publisher Post Hill Press this fall.

According to the the Courier-Journal, the newspaper first heard about Mattingly’s book when he contacted a staff photographer for permission to use one of its photos from a May 2020 protest.

Mattingly fired six shots into the apartment Taylor shared with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker. Walker has said that he believed their home was being broken into and fired back in defense. Mattingly suffered a gunshot injury to his femoral artery that required emergency surgery.

Mattingly is the only officer involved in the death of Taylor who has spoken publicly since the incident.

Kentucky Attorney General David Cameron claimed that Walker was the one who shot Mattingly, but a ballistics report from the Kentucky State Police did not support this statement, neither confirming or refuting Cameron’s statement.

The Post Hill’s website says it publishes works with “a focus on the categories of pop culture, business, self-help, health, current events, Christian, and conservative political books.”

Other authors whose works the Post Hill has published include right-wing figures like Dan Bongino, Laura Loomer and embattled Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), the Courier-Journal notes.

News of Mattingly’s book was met with criticism online. Democratic Kentucky state Rep. Attica Scott tweeted, “Stay focused, y’all. People love to profit off of Black pain and tragedy. It sells.”

Stay focused, y’all. People love to profit off of Black pain and tragedy. It sells.https://t.co/cpa4nbjUNC

— Attica Scott (@atticascott4ky) April 15, 2021

A grand jury did not indict Mattingly for his involvement in the incident that led to Taylor’s death. Three lesser counts of wanton endangerment were announced against only one out of the four officers involved, Brett Hankison. Hankison was later fired from the Louisville police department.

In October, Mattingly filed a countersuit against Walker alleging he had “inflicted battery, assault and emotional distress” by shooting him. Walker had earlier filed a lawsuit against the Louisville Police Department for allegedly violating his constitutional rights.

Mattingly has previously garnered widespread criticism after an email he sent to other police officers was made public.

“I know we did the legal, moral and ethical thing that night,” Mattingly wrote. “It’s sad how the good guys are demonized, and criminals are canonized.”