A Louisville correction officer was recently fired after a video showed him making jokes about the killing of Breonna Taylor, the New York Times notes. Turhan Knight had been an officer with the Louisville Metro Corrections officer since 2018 and made the video as the Kentucky State Fair as a parody for recruiting for Metro Police Department. The footage shows Knight walking by police vehicles, hinting that the department would be “trying to repair broken relationships.” However, it then goes on to mock Taylor’s death and the fact that no officers have been convicted in the shooting.
“Answer the call,” he says. “Be a part of a great, great police department. Never mind what happened to Breonna Taylor. We killed that b****.
Knight went on to brag about the perks of working at the police department while making joking that only police can kill people and see no consequences for it. The optics of a Black male police officer making fun of a Black woman’s death at the hands of law enforcement as she slept in her bed is horrible. Since Taylor’s death, an ex-detective was charged with conspiracy, and the four officers involved in the raid face civil rights charges from the DOJ.
The video goes on to say, “You want to drive vehicles like this? And fly in planes? Do you want to be able to have unlimited off-duty? Do you want to be able to support your family? Do you want to kill people and be able to get off for it? Join Louisville Metro Police Department.”
After the video surfaced, the department ended Knight’s employment, and the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections union said they would not appeal. While he disputes that he was fired, Knight issued an apology in a filing to CBS WLKY Lousiana.
“I want to first apologize to the Mother, Boyfriend, and Family of Breonna Taylor because I never meant to compound or further remind them of the tragedy that has taken place. And I also apologize to my family, friends, the community & my church members because I knew better, and I ask them to forgive me.”