Sept 27 (Reuters) – A Kentucky legislator who was arrested during demonstrations over the Breonna Taylor case accused Louisville police of detaining her and about 20 allies on false pretenses on Sunday and called for charges to be dropped.

State Representative Attica Scott, the only Black woman in the Kentucky legislature, was arrested along with her 19-year-old daughter, prominent activist Shameka Parrish-Wright and others on Thursday during protests against a grand jury decision on Wednesday to clear police of homicide charges in the shooting death of Taylor.

Louisville has become the latest flashpoint in U.S. protests against racism and police brutality, following months of demonstrations that erupted after the May 25 death of George Floyd when a Minnesota police officer knelt on his neck.

The Louisville Metro Police Department did not immediately respond to a phone message and emails sent to spokesmen seeking a response to allegations by Scott, who is the main sponsor of the proposed “Breonna’s Law” that would expand police oversight.

“It felt like retaliation,” Scott told Reuters after a news conference. “They knew exactly who I was when I got to the jail.”

A group of about 20 protesters intended to obey a 9 p.m. curfew and reach a designated sanctuary when they were met by a line of police, said Scott, whose account is supported by video she posted on social media.

Scott, her daughter and Parrish-Wright were held overnight on charges of felony first-degree rioting, which carries a sentence of one to five years in prison, in addition to the misdemeanor offenses of failure to disperse and unlawful assembly, police said.

Source: Read Full Article