Stephen L. Carter, Columnist

The Breonna Taylor Settlement Is Part of the Solution

Costly legal payouts may do more to stop police shootings than adding red tape to the warrant-approval process.

A mural in Maryland.

Photographer: Patrick Smith/Getty Images
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Here’s the right question to ask about the $12 million settlement that Louisville, Kentucky, has agreed to pay to settle the lawsuit stemming from the death of Breonna Taylor: Will this deal reduce the chances of the same thing happening again?

Taylor, as most readers know, was killed when police carrying a no-knock warrant broke down her door. Her boyfriend, not knowing who had invaded his girlfriend’s home, fired one shot from his licensed firearm. The raiders responded by firing more than 20 shots, at least five of which struck Taylor and killed her. None of them struck her boyfriend.