Canceled: Simon & Schuster Refuses To Distribute Book By Officer Who Shot Breonna Taylor After Backlash

The publisher Simon & Schuster said it will not distribute a book written by the police officer who shot Breonna Taylor during a March 2020 raid in Louisville, Kentucky.

The book titled “The Fight For Truth: The Inside Story Behind the Breonna Taylor Tragedy,” written by Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, was published by Post Hill Press, a Simon & Schuster subsidiary. But Simon & Schuster said Thursday it would not distribute the book and that it had learned of Post Hill Press’ book deal with Mattingly when the public had.

“Like much of the American public, earlier today Simon & Schuster learned of plans by distribution client Post Hill Press to publish a book by Jonathan Mattingly. We have subsequently decided not to be involved in the distribution of this book,” Simon & Schuster said in a statement late Thursday.

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Mattingly was one of the Louisville Metro Police Department officers that fired upon Breonna Taylor during the drug raid. Taylor’s boyfriend fired the first shots during the raid and hit Mattingly.

Taylor was hit with six bullets fired by the officers, according to The Hill. Mattingly fired one of the shots that hit Taylor, but the FBI determined that another officer fired the fatal shot.

Louisville police officer Brett Hankinson was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for firing bullets into a nearby apartment during the gunfight, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced in September. The other officers, including Mattingly, weren’t charged.

Taylor’s death and Cameron’s announcement of the charges sparked riots and protests in Louisville and around the country.