FRANKFORT, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear wants Attorney General Daniel Cameron to publish as much information as he can about the Breonna Taylor investigation.
“Everyone can and should be informed, and those that are currently feeling frustration, feeling hurt, they deserve to know more,” Beshear said. “I trust Kentuckians. They deserve to see the facts for themselves, and I believe that the ability to process those facts helps everybody.”
The comments follow a Jefferson County grand jury’s decision to only indict one of three Louisville Metro Police Department officers involved in the death of Taylor on March 13.
Former detective Brett Hankison faces three felony charges of wanton endangerment for shots he fired into a neighboring apartment while officers executed a warrant at Taylor’s apartment.
The other officers, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and detective Myles Cosgrove were not charged.
Cameron has no plans to publish his investigative files, according to spokeswoman Elizabeth Kuhn.
“We appreciate Governor Beshear’s team providing assistance to our office and the Commonwealth over the last few days in preparation for today’s announcement,” Kuhn said. “However, releasing that information now would compromise the federal investigation and violate a prosecutor’s ethical duties.”
The FBI is conducting its own investigation of Taylor’s death to determine if federal charges are warranted.
Beshear made the comments just hours after the grand jury returned an indictment against Hankison and Cameron had a press conference of his own to discuss the case.
Spectrum News 1 asked the Governor about where talks are at about a possible special session to deal with police reform. Beshear said talks are ongoing with lawmakers but they’re not ready yet.
“Any progress would have to be substantial. It can’t be window dressing,” Beshear said. “It can’t be done just to look like we are trying to do something. It has to mean that we are truly gonna move the commonwealth forward. I’m not into calling people here just for a show.”
State Rep. Charles Booker, D-Louisville, said he wants to see action on Breonna’s Law, a bill pre-filed by state Rep. Attica Scott, D-Louisville, to ban no-knock warrants, require the use of body cameras, and to create citizen review boards for police departments.
Booker also promoted a bill filed during the last legislative session by state Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, requiring lawmakers to study the impact proposals would have on racial groups.
“Dealing with racism at a structural level is going to require us to look at every single policy, every budgetary decision, so legislation like that would be an important step to where we are being intentional to rooting out our blind spots,” Booker said.