One of the Louisville, Ky., police officers involved in the botched raid that led to the killing of Breonna Taylor defended his actions and slammed protester as “thugs” in an early Tuesday email to colleagues, a report said.
Louisville Metro Police Department Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, one of three officers who fired his weapon during the March 13 raid, reportedly sent the email to his police colleagues at 2 a.m., ahead of a looming grand jury decision in Taylor’s case.
“Regardless of the outcome today or Wednesday, I know we did the legal, moral, and ethical thing that night,” Mattingly said in the email obtained by VICE. “It’s sad how the good guys are demonized, and criminals are canonized.”
Mattingly, who is on administrative leave, is awaiting news on whether a grand jury will decide to indict him and two other officers, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove. All three of the cops fired their guns at the scene.
Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot and killed by the cops, who were executing a “no-knock” warrant at her apartment under the belief that drugs were stashed inside — though none were found.
Mattingly, Cosgrove and since-fired Detective Hankison exchanged gunfire with Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who opened fire first in fear they were being burglarized. Taylor died in her hallway after she was struck five times.
The killing sparked nationwide protests and inspired Louisville lawmakers to ban no-knock warrants. The city earlier this month announced a $12 million settlement with Taylor’s family over her death.
In his email, Mattingly went on to thank his “LMPD family,” and disparaged local elected officials, his police department and the FBI for pursuing investigations against cops over civil rights abuses. He claimed federal investigators would “piss their pants if they had to hold the line” and don’t understand the stressful nature of the job.
Mattingly also lamented that his fellow cops have had to deal with the outraged protesters.
“You DO NOT DESERVE to be in this position. The position that allows thugs to get in your face and yell, curse and degrade you,” he went on.
Mattingly’s attorney, Kent Wicker, confirmed the email’s authenticity to The Daily Beast.
“As you know, Sgt. Mattingly was shot and severely wounded while serving this warrant,” Wicker told the outlet. “Like our entire community, he is hopeful that this process moves forward quickly, and that his fellow officers and the people of Louisville remain safe.”
Louisville is bracing for more protests as the grand jury decision nears. The LMPD tweeted Tuesday morning that it would be limiting vehicle access, traffic and parking in certain parts of downtown as they set up barricades.
The police department also told officers that all days off and vacation requests would be canceled until further notice.