In the case of Taylor, the police lawfully obtained a no-knock warrant, which is typical of drug cases. Taylor was living with a two-time convicted drug dealer, and his scent is what the police were following that fateful March night.
Usually no-knock strategies are used to ensure that a suspect does not dispose of, destroy or hide evidence, but police have to ensure specific safeguards are in place, like clearly identifying themselves as police and stationing an ambulance on sight. In Taylor’s case, these two safeguards were not practiced.
“That is a critical piece of this investigation,” Cameron said. “It’s not the end-all-be-all. There are still some witness testimony and interviews that have to be conducted. But we do have that ballistics report.”
Breonna’s Law has been highly praised by city and state officials, while activists say that it’s not enough. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a high-profile federal voice for criminal justice reform, sponsored and introduced the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act bill, which would make it illegal for police or other forms of law enforcement to enter a residence without properly identifying themselves.
