The Tipping Point: America at the Brink: James F. Booth

By James F. Booth

A definitive discussion of the most pressing issues facing America today.

All civilizations face threats of decline and fall.  Some civilizations overcome these threats or at least postpone them for a time.  They do so because they have the ability to renew and refresh themselves.  When they lack that ability, they inevitably fail.  The United States must now renew itself.

Violence in our cities

An education system that is failing

Immigration Out of Control

Big Tech censorship

Climate Change hoax

Bloated Government

These are some of serious threats facing the United States.

Important institutions have failed the United States in many ways, causing serious harm to the country.  These trends can be reversed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James F. Booth
• Release date: Jul 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798986912974

Book preview

Introduction

O wad some Power the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us,

An’ foolish notion:

What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us,

An’ ev’n devotion!

—Robert Burns

A tipping point is a crucial moment in which a trend has become unstoppable. It is a time when the movement of a mass or a social phenomenon in the process of change has attained such momentum that it is irreversible, and its progress can no longer be halted or reversed.

In simplest terms, tipping point refers to the point at which the center of gravity of a solid object has shifted and the item has begun to tip over.

The stability of an object is extremely dependent upon its center of gravity. The center of gravity of an object is the point at which we can consider the weight of an object to be concentrated. This is the center point from which the weight is evenly dispersed on all sides. We can use the center of gravity to determine exactly when an object will reach its tipping point and fall over.

Most often this term is used in a broader, figurative sense.

Regime transitions belong to that paradoxical class of events which are inevitable but not predictable. Other examples are bank runs, currency inflations, strikes, migrations, riots, and revolutions. In retrospect, such events are explainable, even overdetermined. In prospect, however, their timing and character are impossible to anticipate. Such events seem to come closer and closer but do not occur, even when all the conditions are ripe—until suddenly they do.

The United States is in decline. People disagree on almost everything about this subject. They disagree about what constitutes decline. They disagree about whether we are in decline at all. They disagree about whether the changes that we see as decline are desirable. They disagree about what are the causes of decline. They disagree about what can be done to repair or reverse the decline.

The decline of the United States is evidenced by the decline in its major institutions. It is natural that when we consider the failures of institutions, we will also consider the failures of the individuals who have been directly responsible for those failures. That is not the primary purpose of this book. There have always been similar personalities on the public scene. There have always been incompetent and corrupt and extremist politicians. That is not the point. Rather, the primary objective here is to ask the reader to consider the failures of the institutions themselves.

All civilizations face threats of decline and fall. Some civilizations overcome these threats or at least postpone them for a time. They do so because they have the ability to renew and refresh their civilizations. When they lack that ability, they inevitably fail. Does the United States have the ability to renew itself? That is a very difficult subject in itself.

We may have reached a tipping point in many ways in our country. In recent years we have seen disturbing trends as many parts of our society, our economy, our culture and our government seem to be in decline. Important institutions of our society are collapsing, and these failures are amplified because many are failing all at the same time. This convergence of forces portends ominous consequences for our country.

Furthermore, the United States is very polarized.

… societal tensions have metastasized into a dangerous tribalism that seriously threatens U.S. democracy. Unless people can bridge these divisions and forge a new path forward, it will be impossible to work together, maintain a functioning democracy, and solve the country’s pressing policy problems.

—Darrel M. West, February 25, 2020

The divisions within our country reflect ethnic, geographic and class differences.

Whether the United States is in fact in a period of decline is itself subject to differences of opinion. As a general principle, many people on the left regard many of the changes described in this book as very real but also as desirable.

The sovereignty of states must be subordinated to international law and international institutions.

—George Soros

Those who are conservative or on the right view such changes with a sense of foreboding. As implied by the title of this book, the author sees these trends as ominous.

Those on the left or so-called liberal or progressive are most often represented politically by the Democrat Party. Therefore, when I have directed criticism of certain policies and events that have brought about what I see as alarming trends, more often than not the criticism is directed toward members of the Democrat Party. This was not by design but a reflection of where the Democrat Party has placed itself on these questions. Certainly, both major political parties are to blame for many of the disturbing trends.

I have chosen subjects which I believe are crucial to our country’s well-being. They are not the only areas that could have been chosen, but they are without a doubt very important. Also, the topics discussed herein are all internally focused. The consequences will necessarily affect relationships with other countries. However, the threats themselves all originate within the United States. The greatest threats are internal. They do not come from abroad.

I have offered observations and commentaries of other persons from many sources. Many of these sources have pointed out what they believe is undeniable evidence of decline. Often these commentators see America’s decline as inevitable. A few have offered solutions to avoid or reverse the negative trends.

"The relationship between Europe and China, Russia and China, Africa and China, Latin America and China, will make the Asian giant dominant by the middle of this century.

The American Empire is dying. We must try to make its collapse, if it happens, cause minimal damage to the rest of the world, as well as to the people of the United States."[1]

Maybe the alliance between China and others will make them dominant, and maybe not. There are many reasons to question that prediction, some of which are mentioned in the chapter herein on economics. Nevertheless, even among Americans there is little optimism. Most Americans see decline as something that they cannot control, and something that cannot be avoided.

"Majorities predict a weaker economy, a growing income divide, a degraded environment and a broken political system.

When Americans peer 30 years into the future, they see a country in decline economically, politically and on the world stage. While a narrow majority of the public (56%) say they are at least somewhat optimistic about America’s future, hope gives way to doubt when the focus turns to specific issues.

In the face of these problems and threats, the majority of Americans have little confidence that the federal government and their elected officials are up to meeting the major challenges that lie ahead. More than eight-in-ten say they are worried about the way the government in Washington works, including 49% who are very worried. A similar share worries about the ability of political leaders to solve the nation’s biggest problems, with 48% saying they are very worried about this. And, when asked what impact the federal government will have on finding solutions to the country’s future problems, more say Washington will have a negative impact than a positive one (55% vs. 44%)."

Such observations are based on broad generalizations. They do not identify particular causes for decline. They merely express a general anxiety because they feel that the U.S. is in decline.

The questions that are asked in this book are not new. For a culture that has been shaped by the Internet and smartphones, the challenges addressed herein may seem novel. But they are not. They almost always pose the same questions that people have confronted many times in the past.

They are many variations on familiar themes. What Edmond Burke said is true, that those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.

For that reason, there are observations herein from many other commentators. Some of those commentators have expressed views on our current events. Some have commented on similar events in what seems to be the distant past. We have the advantage of their experiences and insights. And perhaps after considering their opinions, we will conclude that the past is not really so very distant at all. The human condition has not changed, human frailties manifest themselves in similar ways, and the challenges that society must confront recur from generation to generation, and even from millennium to millennium.

It is inevitable that people will make comparisons with the fall of other civilizations. When other great civilizations declined and eventually fell, were the causes similar to those phenomena that we see in the U.S. today? As we review historical events, we might consider whether any of those lessons sound familiar. Consider the following and then ask whether Mr. Hanson’s observations about the fall of the Western Roman Empire sound familiar to us today.

"In short, what ruined Rome in the West? Lots of things. But clearly the pernicious effects of affluence and laxity warped Roman sensibility and created a culture of entitlement that was not justified by revenues or the creation of actual commensurate wealth—and the resulting debits, inflation, debased currency, and gradual state impoverishment gave the far more vulnerable Western Empire far less margin of error when barbarians arrived, or rival generals marched on Rome.

The strange thing is that these wild swings in civilization are at their bases psychological: decline is one of choice rather than necessity… We could balance our budget tomorrow without a great deal of sacrifice; we could eliminate 10% worth of government spending that is not essential; we could create our own energy with massive nuclear power investment, and more extraction of gas, oil, and coal. We could instill a tragic rather than therapeutic world view that would mean more responsibilities rather than endlessly more rights. We could do this all right—but too many feel such medicine is worse than the malady, and so we probably won’t and can’t. An enjoyable slow decline is apparently preferable to a short, but painful rethinking and rebirth."[2]

There is good reason to believe that the United States is in decline. I will explain in this book why I believe that there is convincing evidence of decline, and that the decline of the U.S. is highly undesirable. It would most likely lead to disaster.

If one believes that decline of the United States is not desirable, and also believes that it is not inevitable, perhaps we should examine closely the evidence of decline. Clues about the causes of decline and possible remedies might become apparent.

Many of the judgments about decline in the U.S. arise from a kind of cultural Ebola. Some critical judgements are based on legitimate grievances, but many are based on prejudices, deliberate misstatements, fallacies, and false factual assumptions. It is not possible to seek out and eradicate every trace of this cultural Ebola. However, it is possible to examine some of the more prominent falsehoods, challenge the factual assumptions underlying those falsehoods, and perhaps even understand the motivations behind those who have disseminated false information.

In this book we will focus on the failures of several very important U.S. institutions where it seems that evidence of failure is incontrovertible. Following the discussions about failures, I have dedicated a final chapter to a discussion about remedies.

The subject of remedies is itself challenging. Remedies are usually not simple and straightforward. To be clear, I do not see that any of the remedies would be easy to achieve. The challenges are many and daunting. Nevertheless, these remedies are a minimum that must be achieved in order to avert further decline. If we fail in these efforts, a continuing erosion of the American experience will be unavoidable.

JFB

Notes

[1]  Looking to the Future, Public Sees an America in Decline on Many Fronts. Pew Research Center. (March 21, 2019)https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/03/21/public-sees-an-america-in-decline-on-many-fronts/

[2]  Victor Davis Hanson. Why Did Rome Fall—And Why Does It Matter Now? (February 14, 2010) https://victorhanson.com/why-did-rome-fall-and-why-does-it-matter-now/

Chapter 1

The Violence

Madness is something rare in individuals—but in groups, parties, peoples, and ages, it is the rule.

—Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

Trayvon Martin

George Zimmerman was a member of a neighborhood watch group in Sanford, Florida. In the early evening of February 26, 2012, Zimmerman observed a person who he believed was acting suspiciously walking through an apartment complex called Twin Lakes.

According to Zimmerman, this area had recently experienced several burglaries. He called the Sanford police department and reported the individual. He told the police dispatcher that he thought that it was suspicious that the individual was walking in the rear of the houses, rather than on the sidewalk or on the street. While he was speaking on the phone, Zimmerman began following the man as he walked through the complex.

The man broke into a run, and Zimmerman lost sight of him. The dispatcher asked whether Zimmerman was following the man. Zimmerman responded that he was. The police dispatcher then told Zimmerman, We don’t need you to do that. Zimmerman responded OK, and, according to Zimmerman, he began walking back to his car.

The young man whom Zimmerman had been following was Trayvon Martin. Martin was a seventeen-year-old high school student. What the police know about what transpired next came primarily from statements made by Zimmerman. Some of his statements were corroborated by neighbors. Zimmerman said that Martin suddenly came up to him from behind. When Zimmerman turned, Martin struck him in the face, knocking him to the ground.[1]

According to Zimmerman, Martin repeatedly beat his head against the ground and threatened to kill him.

Martin suddenly appeared while Zimmerman was walking back to his vehicle. He described Martin at different points in the interviews as appearing out of nowhere, from the darkness, and as jump[ing] out of the bushes. Zimmerman said that Martin asked, You got a fucking problem, homie? Zimmerman replied no, then Martin said You got a problem now and punched Zimmerman. As they struggled on the ground, Zimmerman on his back with Martin on top of him, Zimmerman yelled for help probably 50 times. Martin told him to Shut the fuck up as he hit him in the face and pounded his head on a concrete sidewalk. When Zimmerman tried to move off the concrete, Martin saw his gun and said You’re going to die tonight motherfucker!"[2]

As the two grappled on the ground, Martin was on top of Zimmerman. However, Zimmerman was carrying a firearm. He pulled the weapon and shot Martin once in the chest, killing him.

Photographs of Zimmerman taken after the incident show cuts and blood on his face and head."[3]

Zimmerman was interrogated at length by the police that night, but was released after a few hours. On April 11 he was charged with second degree murder.[4]

Several of neighbors saw or heard parts of the confrontation. No one except Zimmerman was able to recount the events of that night in full. The statements from witnesses tended to corroborate Zimmerman’s version of events.

The guy on the bottom who had a red sweater on was yelling to me: ‘help, help’… and I told him to stop and I was calling 911, he said.

Trayvon Martin was in a hoodie; Zimmerman was in red…

His statements to police were instrumental, because police backed up Zimmerman’s claims, saying those screams on the 911 call are those of Zimmerman."[5]

Several public personalities commented on the killing of Trayvon Martin. President Obama addressed the shooting with reporters at the White House.

President Obama, speaking to reporters on March 23 after federal investigators were deployed to Sanford, said, When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids, and I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this.... If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon."[6]

However, one observer noted that outrage over the death of Trayvon Martin bore the familiar indicia of race baiting.

The furor over the shooting of Florida teen Trayvon Martin is being exploited by the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to racially divide the country," a civil rights leader charged yesterday.

Martin’s family should be outraged at the fact that they’re using this child as the bait to inflame racial passions, the Rev. C. L. Bryant, a former NAACP leader, said of the 17-year-old hoodie-wearing black youth who was shot dead by a mixed white-Latino neighborhood-watch volunteer.

The pastor accused Jackson and Sharpton—who yesterday organized a thousands-strong protest in Sanford, Fla., where the shooting occurred last month—of acting as though they are buzzards circling the carcass of this young boy in an interview with The Daily Caller, a news Web site.

Bryant, the past president of the NAACP chapter in Garland, Texas, called Jackson and Sharpton race hustlers for inserting themselves into the drama."[7]

At his trial, Zimmerman claimed that he shot Martin in self-defense. The jury found him not guilty.[8]

Eric Garner

In New York City there are very high state excise taxes and local city taxes on cigarettes. As a result, there is a large black market in cigarettes sold by vendors who evade the taxes. It is estimated that more than half of all cigarettes sold in New York City are from vendors who sell untaxed cigarettes. An individual will typically travel to a state where the taxes on cigarettes are low.[9] After stocking up on cartons of cigarettes, the smuggler will return to New York City, and distribute the cigarettes through his network.

Untaxed cigarettes, sold either singly or in packs, are referred to as loosies. These are often sold in small neighborhood stores.[10]

Eric Garner had been arrested by the New York City police many times for selling untaxed cigarettes and for offenses related to selling untaxed cigarettes. Since 1980 he had been arrested more than 30 times.[11]

On July 17, 2014, officers of the New York City police department approached Eric Garner and attempted to arrest him for the sale of loosies on the street. Mr. Garner resisted arrest.

Get away [garbled] … for what? Every time you see me, you want to mess with me. I’m tired of it. It stops today. Why would you…? Everyone standing here will tell you I didn’t do nothing. I did not sell nothing. Because every time you see me, you want to harass me. You want to stop me (garbled) Selling cigarettes. I’m minding my business, officer, I’m minding my business. Please just leave me alone. I told you the last time, please just leave me alone. Please, please don’t touch me. Do not touch me.[12]

In their efforts to subdue Mr. Garner, one of the officers allegedly applied a chokehold to Mr. Garner, which is a measure that is legal, but had been banned by the New York City police department. While being restrained by several officers, Garner could be heard complaining repeatedly, I can’t breathe. In the course of the struggle Mr. Garner died.[13]

Eric Garner was a very big man. He weighed 350 pounds. The Medical Examiner found that Mr. Garner died as a result of a combination of factors: compression of neck (choke hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police. The Medical Examiner also found that Mr. Garner suffered from previous medical conditions. He had asthma and heart disease. These conditions were factors contributing to his death.[14]

There were two police sergeants at the scene and supervising the arrest of Mr. Garner’s, Sergeant Dhanan Saminath and Sergeant Kizzy Adoni. Sergeant Adoni said that she did hear Garner’s complaints about not being able to breathe, but she did not believe him. She did not believe that he was actually in distress. Nevertheless, the killing was condemned as an example of the use of excessive force by white police officers against a black male suspect.[15]

Eric Garner’s family brought a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of New York for causing his death. The city paid $5.9 million to settle the claim.[16]

George Floyd

On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officers arrested George Floyd. Earlier a convenience store employee had called police to complain that Floyd had purchased cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. The employee also complained that Floyd appeared to be drunk and was not in control of himself.[17]

After arriving on the scene Minneapolis police officers placed Floyd under arrest. During the course of the arrest, one of the arresting officers knelt on Floyd’s neck for several minutes, even though Floyd was already handcuffed and lying face down in the street. Floyd complained that he was having difficulty breathing and feared for his life. After several minutes Floyd stopped speaking. One of the officers checked him for a pulse and could find none. George Floyd had died.[18]

In the public outcry that followed Floyd’s death there was a general consensus that the police had used excessive force. There were some who believed that there were mitigating circumstances to explain the officers’ actions.[19] Others questioned whether Floyd was a sympathetic character who was deserving of so much attention.[20] However, no one tried to defend the killing as justified.

All of the officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd were themselves arrested and charged with criminal offenses relating to Mr. Floyd’s death.

Following George Floyd’s death, violent protests erupted not only in Minneapolis, but in many other places across the United States.[21] There were protests in dozens of cities. Most of the protests were peaceful, but many also turned violent.[22] Some protests were even held in cities outside of the United States.[23]

It is estimated that in 2020 approximately twenty-five people were killed during incidents relating to the George Floyd protests. Of these probably 11 were killed while engaging in the protests, and another 14 people were killed in violent incidents arising out of the protests.[24]

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota are referred to as the Twin Cities, or just the Cities, because they adjoin each other. Following the George Floyd killing violent protests arose in both cities.

Within the first few days of rioting, property damage reached $500 million.[25]

As an immigration lawyer, Wilson battles the U.S. government in courtrooms and said he knows how rights can slide off the table quickly."

But he watched the protests spin out of control and saw flames crawl along a power line between his building and the liquor store before it melted and fell. For him, the distinction between protesting and rioting is clear.

Demonstrating your commitment to change and demanding it from leadership is important, and the First Amendment is sacred, Wilson said. The moment though that people are just using it as an opportunity to destroy, no conscience, no regard for what they’re doing? No. No, the First Amendment doesn’t protect that.[26]

As violence escalated, it appeared that by May 27, just two days after Floyd’s death, the police had pulled back from performing normal police functions in the community, and assumed a more defensive posture. Protests were escalating daily, as were violence and arson. Even so, the police presence in the community was reduced. Much of this was the result of indecision by local politicians.

The four officers who had been involved in the arrest of George Floyd had been assigned to the Third Police Precinct. Therefore, protestors targeted that police station.

"On the second night of protests, Wednesday, May 27, the standoff at the precinct escalated. People started breaking into and looting nearby businesses, including a Target and a liquor store. Then they started setting fires in buildings up and down the block.

City Council member Andrew Johnson blames the police for much of the destruction. The only thing they seemed to be protecting, he said, was their own building. It looked like they were defending the Alamo and letting the community burn, he said.

Between 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, and 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, the Minneapolis Fire Department responded to 16 fires within blocks of the 3rd Precinct."[27]

On the night of May 27, rioters also attacked the Minneapolis Third Police Precinct. The police repelled the attackers using tear gas and rubber bullets. The following night, May 28, the rioters returned. This time they breached the outer perimeter of the police station. At that point the Minneapolis Mayor instructed the police to withdraw and abandon the police station to the rioters.

"The precinct is on fire

Faced with angry, violent protesters after George Floyd’s death, Minneapolis city leaders made the unprecedented decision to abandon a police station. It marked not only the further erosion of the department’s relationship with the community, but perhaps the beginning of a shift in American policing.

It was 9:53 p.m. when a Minneapolis police officer sent out an urgent call to the other officers who remained in the 3rd Precinct. We need to move. We need to move, he shouted over the police radio.

Protesters were breaking into the back of the station, and officers were preparing to take an unprecedented step in American policing: to abandon their precinct building.

The front has been breached, an officer called over the radio just before they fled. They’re coming in. They’re coming in the back.

In a dramatic exit, a squad car rammed through a gate near the station in south Minneapolis, leading a motorcade racing from the parking lot. Patrol officers in riot gear left on foot, hurrying past a jeering crowd hurling rocks and fireworks.

The flight of officers from the police station on May 28 was days in the making."[28]

It was not only the police precinct that had been abandoned. Many residents of Minneapolis felt that police had abandoned essential police duties in their neighborhoods. This left their neighborhoods vulnerable to heightened levels of looting and arson in their homes and businesses.

"Hundreds of business and property owners, many of them immigrants, remain angry the city and state did not protect them. A manufacturer whose plant burned near the Third Precinct station said he will not rebuild in Minneapolis.

Where are the police?

Bao Huang, owner of Hop Wong near the corner of Lake and Chicago, slept in the Chinese takeout restaurant with a gun through the four nights of riots, but he couldn’t prevent a fire next door from damaging it. Where’s the police? Where’s the city? Every year I pay taxes. Where are the police? Huang said."[29]

Local politicians had decided to abandon the police station in the hope that this would appease the rioters. Instead, rioting continued unabated. Finally, state and local authorities decided to quell the rioting by force. Unfortunately, by then several days had passed and a great deal of damage had already been done to the community.

"Minneapolis: Projectiles fired to clear protesters

The National Guard started moving into downtown Minneapolis on Saturday, after days of unrest.

The situation in Minnesota is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cites, Gov. Tim Walz said in a press conference.[30]

Minneapolis Autonomous Zone

The principal location for protests was the site where Floyd had died, the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. Protests began there the day following George Floyd’s death, and then escalated into a permanent occupation of the site. Protestors installed a barricade to block the intersection. Later the city installed twelve barricades to protect pedestrians. The area was declared by the protestors to be George Floyd Square and to be cop free. The police declined to force their way in.[31]

On April 29, a woman was pushed from a window in a residence within the autonomous zone. When neighbors called the police, the dispatcher asked that she be moved to an area just outside of the autonomous zone before the police would respond.[32]

This area of Minneapolis had long been a high crime area, controlled by street gangs. Following the death of George Floyd and the blocking of these streets, the level of violent crime in the area rose dramatically. Some residents of the neighborhood felt that police were reducing their presence in the area, or refusing to respond at all to some reports of criminal activity, and criminals were taking advantage of a reduced police presence.

In the seven-week period after Floyd’s death, 11 people were shot and 233 gunfire incidents were reported in the area, which did not have a single gunfire incident during the same stretch of time the previous year. Some gang members used the barricades around the site to control entrance, allowing illicit business to continue undisturbed, and authorities investigated an illegal arms dealer who used the site for gun sales.[33]

It appears that there was merit to Minnesota Governor Waltz’s comment above about the rioting.

The situation in Minnesota is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cites, Gov. Tim Walz said in a press conference."

—Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

Some of the rioting was a spontaneous expression of outrage directed at the police. However, there is considerable evidence that much of the rioting was not spontaneous at all. Some rioters were taking advantage of civil unrest to commit other crimes, such as looting. And still others were deliberately fomenting violence to accomplish political objectives.[34]

Louisville, Kentucky

Breonna Taylor was 26 years old. She was employed as an emergency room technician at two hospitals in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Louisville police department was engaged in a drug investigation involving two drug dealers, Jamarcus Glover and Adrian Walker. Glover was a boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, although the two did not live together. Glover later told officers that he and Taylor had been together but had previously broken off the relationship. Officers said that a review of cell phone records indicated that they were still in regular contact with each other.

In December of 2016, Taylor rented a car that was used by Glover. The body of Fernandez Bowman was found dead in a car. He had been shot eight times.[35] Also, Glover’s bank records showed that he had stated that his mailing address was 3003 Springfield Drive #4, Louisville, KY 40214. This was Taylor’s address.[36]

Louisville police stated that they had evidence that Glover had arranged for packages to be delivered to Taylor’s apartment, which the officers suspected contained drugs. For this reason, the officers also suspected that Taylor was involved in the drug business with Glover. Officer Jaynes said that he had witnessed Glover retrieve a package from Taylor’s apartment, and Glover had on occasion used the apartment address as his own. This allegation has been denied by Glover and by Taylor’s family.[37]

On the night of March 13, 2020, three white police officers executed a search warrant at Breonna Taylor’s apartment. Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly, Officer Brett Hankison and Officer Myles Cosgrove. They had obtained a so-called no-knock search warrant. This authorized the police to enter the apartment without first announcing themselves to the occupants.

The reason for obtaining a no-knock search warrant is that the police are sometimes concerned that if they first announce themselves, the target of the search will be able to destroy evidence before they can enter the premises. This is especially true in drug cases, where drug dealers have the ability to destroy evidence very quickly.[38]

The officers also stated that, although the warrant was a no-knock search warrant, in fact they did knock and identify themselves before forcing their way into Taylor’s apartment.[39]

On March 13 Taylor was living with another boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. (Kenneth Walker and Adrian Walker are not related.) Kenneth Walker said that he heard pounding on Taylor’s apartment door.

The officers stated that they pounded on the apartment door and announced themselves. Walker and some of the neighbors denied that the officers identified themselves. One neighbor initially confirmed the officers’ account that they identified themselves, but he later reversed himself and said that they did not first announce themselves.[40] There were conflicting reports from other neighbors as well, some corroborating the police statement that they did knock and announce themselves before entering the apartment, and some saying that they heard no such announcement.[41]

Kenneth Walker stated that when he heard the officers pounding on the apartment door, he feared that he was in danger. He fired one shot. Walker stated that this was fired as a warning shot. The bullet struck Sergeant Mattingly in his leg, in the femoral artery, and he was bleeding profusely. It was a life-threatening wound. Other officers put a tourniquet in the wound, placed him in a squad car and drove him to the hospital. Surgery was performed on Mattingly, and he recovered.[42]

The police returned fire. Breonna Taylor was struck five times. One of the shots was fatal, and Breonna Taylor died in the hallway of her apartment. Kenneth Walker was not injured.[43]

Earlier on March 13, the day that the officers executed the search warrant, the police recorded a telephone conversation between Breonna Taylor and Jamarcus Glover, who at the time was