North Texas protesters on Wednesday condemned the lack of any charges against Louisville police officers for the death of Breonna Taylor, saying the indictment of just one officer on a charge of endangering Taylor's neighbors is not enough.
"It's upsetting and words cannot express the rage that America feels right now,” mother Tramonica Brown said. “We are enraged."
Brown is the founder of Not My Son. It’s a new nonprofit aimed at bridging the gap between police and protestors. It’s also working to bring about police reform.
"I'm giving it to you as a community person,” Brown said. “I'm giving it to you as a mother. You just basically said that it's justified to kill us and that hurts. This is so disappointing and it's unfortunate because we anticipated it."
Others though are trying to find some comfort in the fact there was at least some legal action taken continuing the judicial process.
"Any indictment of a police officer is a step towards more accountability," Mothers Against Police Brutality co-founder John Fullinwider said.
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He adds this is just one step in a long journey of changes he'd like to see.
"This indictment does not speak to the injustice of the no-knock warrants or the policy of kicking people's doors in, in which mistakes are made often and they are fatal mistakes like this one."
So, for now the voices pleading for justice will continue.
"We are in a state of emergency seriously against our justice system," Brown said. I can only imagine where we are about to go," she added.
Dallas civil rights attorney David Henderson says the law makes it very difficult to prosecute the officers involved, but believes more could've been done in the case.
"Nothing has changed that would prevent Breonna Taylor from being killed," said Henderson. "The police could go out and get an identical warrant today and they could execute that warrant under identical circumstances. If Breonna Taylor were alive today, she would be shot and killed under the exact same circumstances."
Henderson represents several protesters from the George Floyd protests in May and June. He says the public needs to be reassured that justice is being pursued, but says that did not happen.
"This is basically it. Can they be charged? Of course, they can be charged. But if you watched today’s press conference, the attorney general made it very clear he does not intend to pursue any additional charges against these officers," said Henderson.
Chairman of the Dallas Community Police Oversight Board. Jesuorobo Enobakhare, also weighed in on the case.
"I would say I’m tired, but I’m way past tired. I would say I’m over it. But I’ve been over a long time ago. Really right now I’m just heartbroken hurt and disappointed," said Enobakhare.
The oversight board has worked over the last several months to influence policy changes within the Dallas Police Department.
"It’s not one bad apple. It’s not one bad person they’re scapegoating. It’s their training, it’s their policies. Those led to Breonna Taylor being killed," said Enobakhare. " This is not something we need to kick down the road. This is not something that we need to just pray about and just hope things get better."
In Fort Worth Wednesday night, about 50 protesters gathered on the steps of the historic Tarrant County Courthouse.
"Say her name, Breonna Taylor," they chanted as they marched down the street toward Sundance Square.
Some members of the group were armed.
There were no incidents, and police were nowhere to be seen.
NBC 5's Scott Gordon in Fort Worth contributed to this report.
