A bipartisan effort in Kentucky is reigniting the push to outlaw no-knock warrants, spurred by the tragic death of Breonna Taylor and amidst congressional struggles to enact meaningful policing reforms.
Sen. Rand Paul (R) and Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D), standing alongside Taylor’s mother at an event in Kentucky, reaffirmed their commitment to banning the controversial practice nearly four years after Taylor’s passing. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a pivotal figure in previous police reform negotiations, has taken the lead as the Democratic co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.
“I’m very hopeful that this will move forward. I’m sorry, that took the death of Breonna to get everybody unified,” Paul expressed. “We might try to see if it can pass unanimously.”
Taylor tragically lost her life in March 2020 when police in Louisville executed a no-knock raid on her apartment.
“We believe this legislation is crucial because it will effectively put an end to the use of no-knock warrants both in Kentucky and across the nation,” McGarvey stated.
Bipartisan Kentucky Team Renews Effort to Ban No-Knock Warrants Following Breonna Taylor’s Death (Credits: The Courier Journal)
The office of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on his stance regarding the proposed measure.
Background: Talks surrounding police reform surged following the murder of George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police in 2020. However, these discussions ultimately collapsed in September 2021, with negotiators citing irreconcilable differences.
Booker expressed his disappointment in February 2023 over the breakdown of these talks but remained hopeful that some level of police reform could still be achieved. Since then, there has been little sign of progress within Congress.
“It’s been four years. It’s been hard — it continues to be hard — but I still fight and I still make sure that what happened to Brianna doesn’t happen again,” Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, asserted.
