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Protesters gather for 123rd night after Breonna Taylor’s death

Jefferson Square Park has become the centerpiece of public gathering over the past 123 days since Taylor’s death.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A smaller group of protesters gathered Sunday at Jefferson Square Park – much smaller than the hundreds who gathered and marched through the city in recent days in opposition to the announcement and explanation by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron that no LMPD officers would face state criminal charges for the shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

The park has become the centerpiece of public gathering over the past 123 days since Taylor’s death.

Sharon Smith, 73, told WHAS11 that she attended the original March on Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

She described herself as an “activist” who has been protesting for Breonna Taylor for the past 50 days.

“As long as I can walk and still run my mouth and still support the causes I will support them,” she said.

In referring to the announcement this week that no LMPD officers would face state criminal charges for Taylor’s shooting death, she said: “That’s not investigating the case, that was a travesty of justice.”

Smith was referring to the explanation offered by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who explained that two LMPD officers – Myles Cosgrove and Jon Mattingly – were justified in returning gunfire after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who is alleged to have shot at officers.

Mattingly was injured in the shooting and rushed to the hospital for surgery.

Walker’s attorneys have said he was not aware of who was at the apartment door.

One now-former LMPD officer, Brett Hankison, was indicted this week on three counts of wanton endangerment for bullets that entered an adjacent apartment.

LMPD was conducting a narcotics investigation at the time of the raid on her apartment.

While Taylor was not the direct focus of the investigation – her apartment was one of five warrants sought during the investigation. Detectives say they witnessed their main suspect – Jamarcus Glover – arrive at Taylor’s apartment, go inside and then come back with a package. Police say Glover got in his car and drive to a “known drug house.”

This weekend, Walker’s attorney, Steve Romines, filed a motion in a lawsuit against the city asking the LMPD’s public integrity report and the transcript of the recordings of the grand jury proceedings.

There are also questions from attorneys about the ballistics examinations involved.

Attorneys for Walker also allege that the independent witness who Cameron referenced as hearing police identify themselves may have switched his account of whether or not police identified themselves.

“The independent witness referenced by the Attorney General not only contradicts 11 other independent witnesses, but apparently contradicts an initial statement that the same witness did not hear the police announce themselves,” the motion states.

Those who gathered Sunday at the park also expressed displeasure about the city’s enforced curfew – which was put in place this week in response to the grand jury’s decision to not indict any officers for Taylor’s death.

“I feel like this curfew is a way to mess with the protesters,” said Jerome Hickman Jr.

Hickman said he was not happy that TARC bus service was suspended this weekend in response to safety concerns with the protests.

Sunday night, it was not clear if the city would extend the city-wide curfew.

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