The Louisville police officer who shot Breonna Taylor after he was shot during the deadly raid on Taylor’s apartment is writing a book, but it is not being distributed as planned by publishing giant Simon & Schuster.
Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and another officer fired shots that hit Taylor during the drug attack on March 13, 2020. Mattingly was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend. Taylor, a 26-year-old black medical emergency worker, died at the scene, but no drugs were found in the apartment.
The book Mattingly is published by Post Hill Press in Tennessee, reports The Courier Journal. The company’s website publishes, among other things, ‘current events, Christian and conservative political books’. The books are being distributed by Simon & Schuster, who indicated earlier Thursday that they could not refuse Post Hill titles.
But late Thursday, Simon & Schuster issued a statement saying they would not be involved in Mattingly’s book.
“Like many of the American public, Simon & Schuster learned earlier today about plans by the distribution client Post Hill Press to publish a book by Jonathan Mattingly,” the publisher said in a statement. “We then decided not to be involved in the distribution of this book.”
The news of Mattingly’s book drew online criticism on Thursday, including from State Representative Attica Scott, a Democrat, who wrote on Twitter that people like to take advantage of black pain and tragedy. It sells. ”
In a statement to The Associated Press, a Post Hill Press publicist said the company supports its authors’ free speech rights and that Mattingly “deserves to have his report of the tragic events heard in public.”
Post Hill Press books are distributed by Simon & Schuster and Mattingly’s book is expected to appear in the fall. Other writers include Conservative commentator Dan Bongino and Congressman Matt Gaetz.
Mattingly’s book will be entitled “The Fight For Truth: The Inside Story Behind the Breonna Taylor Tragedy.”
Mattingly, 48, was shot in the leg by Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who said he fired a single shot after fearing an intruder broke into the apartment.
Mattingly was recently reprimanded by Louisville’s police chief over an email in September that was critical of the department’s leadership and protesters. He stays in the department. Two other officers who fired their guns during the raid were fired.