— Simon & Schuster (@simonschuster) April 16, 2021
Simon & Schuster announced it will not distribute a forthcoming book from publishing house Post Hill Press that was written by one of the Louisville police officers who opened fire during the botched drug raid in March 2020 that left Breonna Taylor dead.
The publishing giant’s decision followed intense backlash on social media in response to a Louisville Courier Journal report that Sgt. John Mattingly was penning a book called The Fight for Truth: The Inside Story Behind the Breonna Taylor Tragedy.
In a statement Thursday evening, Simon & Schuster said, “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.”
Kelsey Merritt, a spokesperson for Tennessee-based Post Hill Press, told ABC News that Post Hill Press “continues to move forward with plans to publish Sgt. Mattingly’s book” this fall.
“His story is important and it deserves to be heard by the public at large. We feel strongly that an open dialogue is essential to shining a light on the challenging issues our country is facing,” Merritt added.
Mattingly was one of three plainclothes police officers who barged into Taylor’s apartment on a no-knock warrant on March 13, 2020, and opened fire.
Kentucky State Attorney General Daniel Cameron stated that Mattingly was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker, who had a weapons license and thought the police were intruders.
The ballistics report from the Kentucky State Police could not determine that Taylor's boyfriend shot one of the officers, contradicting the attorney general.
The report established, however, that the police officers fired a total of 32 bullets into Taylor's apartment,
After being struck by gunfire, Taylor, a 26-year-old Black emergency medical technician, died at the scene. Police found no drugs in her home.
In September, a grand jury cleared the three officers of criminal charges in connection with Taylor’s death. A year later, Mattingly remains employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department, while the other two officers involved have been fired.
Prior to Simon & Schuster’s announcement Thursday, an online petition demanding the massive bookseller drop the book amassed nearly 42,000 signatures. Mattingly’s book, the petitioners said, is nothing but a “brazen attempt to rehabilitate” the officer’s image.
According to Post Hill Press’s website, the company publishes “pop culture, business, self-help, health, current events, Christian and conservative political books,” among other topics.
Its author lineup includes embattled Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, conservative commentator Dan Bongino and far-right activist Laura Loomer.
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Source: Equities News
