Police chief reprimands officer over Breonna Taylor email

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville’s police chief has reprimanded the sergeant who was shot during the raid on Breonna Taylor’s apartment for an email he sent that was critical of department leadership.

Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly sent the late-night email in September, writing that he and other officers “did the legal, moral and ethical thing” the night of the deadly raid.

Mattingly was shot in the leg during the March 13, 2020, raid by Taylor’s boyfriend, who said he feared an intruder was breaking into the apartment. Officers returned fire, killing Taylor, a Black woman whose death sparked huge protests.

Mattingly also criticized the city’s mayor and the former police chief, saying they “failed all of us in epic proportions for their own gain and to cover their asses.”

Louisville Police Chief Erika Shields found Mattingly in violation of the department’s policy for email usage, The Courier Journal reported. Mattingly received a letter of reprimand on March 29. It said he sent an email to all sworn officers “that did not serve any business purpose.”

Mattingly said in an October interview with ABC News that his use of the word “moral” in the email was not about Taylor’s death, but rather the officers being there “to take deadly drugs off the streets.”

Mattingly remains on the department. Two officers who fired their guns the night of the raid have been dismissed. One of them, Brett Hankison, is facing wanton endangerment charges for putting Taylor’s neighbors in danger.