Rand Paul: No More No-Knock Warrants

The case is horrific.

On March 13 around 1 a.m., Louisville Kentucky Metro Police Department entered the apartment of former Louisville EMT Breonna Taylor home using a “no-knock” search warrant and a battering ram.

Taylor – who wasn’t even the main subject of their narcotics investigation — ended up dead.  She was shot eight times by police. No drugs were found.

According to the Louisville Courier Journal, “The U.S. Supreme Court has said judges may allow police to search without knocking when they have a reasonable suspicion that under the ‘particular circumstances’ of the case, the targets could destroy evidence.”

However, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul  – a staunch defender of the Fourth Amendment — wants to end the terrible practice.

“No one should lose their life in pursuit of a crime without a victim, and ‘no-knock’ warrants should be forbidden,” Paul told the Louisville Courier Journal. “Let’s hope the investigation provides justice.”

Already change has begun.

The Louisville Courier Journal reports that:

Mayor Greg Fischer, a Democrat, announced Monday that all no-knock warrants will now require approval from the chief of police or a designee before being submitted to a judge. He said doing so will provide another “level of scrutiny.”

“Another layer of scrutiny” is cold comfort to the Taylor family, but it’s at least a start toward self-governance and away from the overreaching power of a militarized police force.

Hat Tip: Louisville Courier Journal

Image Credit: Gage Skidmore on Flickr