Sep 23, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Biden: Breonna Taylor indictment "does not answer" call for justice

Biden.

Photo: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday addressed the grand jury decision not to charge the officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor, saying in a statement that the decision "does not answer" the call for equal justice.

The big picture: Biden called for reforms to address police use of force and no-knock warrants, while demanding a ban on chokeholds. He added that people "have a right to peacefully protest, but violence is never acceptable."

  • "[W]e can express pain, grief, anger and disappointment at the way things are, but remain focused on rebuilding trust in our communities and delivering change that can be."

What he's saying: "In the wake of her tragic death, we mourn with her mother, family, and community and ask ourselves whether justice could be equally applied in America," Biden wrote.

  • "I know for so many people today’s decision does not answer that call. A federal investigation remains ongoing, but we do not need to wait for the final judgment of that investigation to do more to deliver justice for Breonna."
  • "We must continue to speak Breonna Taylor’s name, support her family still in grieving, and never give up on ensuring the full promise of America for every American."

The other side: President Trump welcomed Wednesday's decision, calling it "really brilliant."

  • "Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is doing a fantastic job, I think he's a star," Trump said.
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