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ESPN cuts off analyst Jalen Rose as he calls for arrest of cops in Breonna Taylor case

Former NBA star spoke up on air hours after no charges were brought for killing

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Thursday 24 September 2020 19:34 BST
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ESPN cuts off Jalen Rose as he calls for arrest of Breonna Taylor cops
ESPN cuts off Jalen Rose as he calls for arrest of Breonna Taylor cops (AFP / Jason Connolly)

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Basketball analyst Jalen Rose got cut off by ESPN on a live broadcast as he called for the arrest of the police officers in the Breonna Taylor case.

The former NBA star weighed in after the announcement that none of the three officers would be charged with her killing.

“It’d also be a great day to arrest the cops that murdered Breonna Taylor,” shouted Rose as he discussed the fourth game of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals.

ESPN quickly cut to a commercial and has declined to comment.

Taylor was shot and killed in Louisville, Kentucky, in March when police broke down the door to her apartment as she slept.

It was announced on Wednesday that a grand jury decided to indict only one officer on first-degree wanton endangerment charges, and none for the actual killing.

Hours after the announcement protestors took to the streets of Louisville and two police officers were shot and wounded.

Mr Rose, who played in the NBA for 13 years, also spoke during ESPN’s pregame show about the hurt Black people continued to suffer in the US .

“So, we are starting a game, It’s 400 years of slavery to zero," Rose said during the pregame show.

“We know we not going to win, but you still gotta continue to move the ball forward and put people behind you in a position to be successful, and that's what we're here to do today.

“That's what the NBA players are doing today, and that's why I applaud them because while they're out, they're preforming with heavy hearts trying to win a championship.

“I understand that this is really painful, to show up to work and still try to entertain.”

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