Charles Barkley has weighed in on the Breonna Taylor case.
On Wednesday, a Kentucky grand jury returned a minor felony charge against former officer Brett Hankison, for shots that hit a neighboring apartment but declined to charge him for the shooting of Breonna Taylor while serving a warrant at her home.
Several NBA players had called for the arrest of all three officers involved in the shooting of Taylor, but when the grand jury declined to do so the players expressed their disappointment on social media.
I’ve been lost for words today! I’m devastated, hurt, sad, mad! We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her beautiful life. Was I surprised at the verdict. Absolutely not but damnit I was & still am hurt and heavy hearted! I send
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2020
During Thursday’s edition of ‘Inside the NBA’ Barkley weighed in on the situation and said he didn’t believe you could lump in Breonna Taylor’s case with those of George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery because Taylor’s boyfriend was at fault for shooting at the police.
Charles Barkley says you can't put the Breonna Taylor case in the same situation as George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery because her boyfriend shot at the police pic.twitter.com/8dMjVMZp39
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 25, 2020
We do have take into account that her boyfriend did shoot at the cops and shot a cop. Although I’m really sorry she lost her life, I don’t think we can put this in the same situation as George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery
Barkley went on to also speak against the notion of defunding the police which has become a staple of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Charles Barkley on defunding the police "Who are black people supposed to call Ghost Busters when we have crime in our neighborhood? We need to stop the defund or abolish the police crap" pic.twitter.com/uEIsnX729g
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 25, 2020
Barkley was immediately criticized over his comments from those who didn’t agree with his assessment of the Taylor case or his thoughts on defunding the police.
Hey, Chuck, when someone breaks down your door in the middle of the night while you’re sleeping, if you have a gun, you might shoot at that person. Wild thought to use a gun for the exact reason for which you acquired it. @NBAonTNT https://t.co/sYEAXlLYpz
— Eastern Conference Finals!!! (@AllWadeAllDay) September 25, 2020
So let me get this straight: the one time it is 'ok' for someone to use their gun, in self-defense when people barge into your house for no reason, why people fight so hard to keep their guns, actually isn't ok. So if that's the case, then why have guns in the first place? https://t.co/0nPg5nl9Fc
— Shervon Fakhimi (@ShervonFakhimi) September 25, 2020
The way so many ppl that speak out against defunding the police don’t even actually know what it means https://t.co/oHEocIq3Wf pic.twitter.com/gnaIdfRcGn
— Britt💋 (@lashawn0986) September 25, 2020