Sports
Lakers’ LeBron James ‘Devastated’ by Grand Jury Decision in Breonna Taylor Case
Mark J. Terrill/Associated PressLos Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said he was “devastated, hurt, sad, mad” by the grand jury’s decision in Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday.James expressed frustration that there was no justice for Breonna Taylor, saying he is “hurt and heavy hearted” even though he was not surprised by the outcome:LeBron James @KingJamesmy love…
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said he was “devastated, hurt, sad, mad” by the grand jury's decision in Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday.
James expressed frustration that there was no justice for Breonna Taylor, saying he is “hurt and heavy hearted” even though he was not surprised by the outcome:
LeBron James @KingJames
my love to Breonna mother, family and
friends! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! 😔😔🥺🥺😢😢😢😭😭😭
The grand jury in Louisville elected not to charge any of the police officers with the killing of Taylor, only indicting one officer on charges of first-degree wanton endangerment.
James continued, promising he will do what he can to change the disrespect Black women face:
LeBron James @KingJames
The most DISRESPECTED person on earth is THE BLACK WOMAN! I promise you I’ll do my best to change this as much as I can and even more!! LOVE to you QUEENS all over this country and beyond! 👸🏽👸🏾👸🏿❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Taylor was shot and killed inside her own apartment on March 13 when police executed a no-knock warrant. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, said he fired one shot at officers because they did not identify themselves before breaking into the apartment.
Ray Sanchez, Elizabeth Joseph and Steve Almasy of CNN.com reported former detective Brett Hankison was indicted on the wanton endangerment charges for shooting into the apartment that was adjacent to Taylor's.
Sgt. Jon Mattingly and Det. Myles Cosgrove were not charged with anything, and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the officers were “justified in their use of force.”
That the only charge came because Hankison shot into the adjacent apartment is why James tweeted, “We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life.”
James has been one of the most prominent athletes continuing the fight against systemic racism and police brutality even while leading the Lakers on the court inside the Walt Disney World Resort bubble.
After video of police shooting Jacob Blake in the back multiple times emerged, James tweeted, “And y'all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted. This shit is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE.”
He also told reporters Tuesday that he is “not saying that all cops are bad” but “when you see the videos that's going on and you can see not only my hometown but all over America, you continue to see the acts of violence towards my kind, I can't do nothing but to speak about it and see the common denominator.”
James was far from the only athlete to react to the grand jury's decision Wednesday:
Colin Kaepernick @Kaepernick7
The white supremacist institution of policing that stole Breonna Taylor’s life from us must be abolished for the safety and well being of our people.
#BreonnaTaylor #SayHerName #AbolishThePolice
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
The sports world reacts after no officers were indicted for killing Breonna Taylor. https://t.co/lRaYIPLYhU
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
https://t.co/NbWE1XfTbt
NBA and WNBA players have consistently used their platforms to continue fighting against police brutality and systemic racism and will surely continue to do so following the latest developments.
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