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Officer in Breonna Taylor shooting: 'This had nothing to do with race'

Editors  |  Paste BN

Good morning, Daily Briefing readers. It's Jane, bring you this hump day's news. 

A Louisville, Kentucky, police officer at the center of the shooting of Breonna Taylor tells the Paste BN Network it "had nothing to do with race." The Senate will vote on a multibillion dollar coronavirus stimulus bill. And who's getting free tacos? Everybody, thanks to Mookie Betts. 🌮

Here's Wednesday's news:

Exclusive: Breonna Taylor shooting 'had nothing to do with race,' officer says 

A Louisville, Kentucky, officer at the center of the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor said her death is a tragedy — but it shouldn't be lumped in with the slayings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery that have sparked protests from coast to coast. Jonathan Mattingly, the Louisville Metro Police sergeant who was shot in the same attempted drug raid that cost Taylor her life, spoke exclusively to The Courier Journal — part of the Paste BN Network — and ABC News on Tuesday north of Cincinnati. "This had nothing to do with race," he said. "Nothing at all." Mattingly, 44, described publicly for the first time what happened the night police tried to serve a search warrant shortly before 1 a.m. March 13 at Taylor's apartment in Louisville, looking for drugs and cash as part of a larger narcotics operation. Taylor's death — and the subsequent lack of charges against the officers — has ignited 146 consecutive days of protests in Louisville and touched off demonstrations across the country.

Senate to vote on $500 billion coronavirus stimulus bill

The Republican-run Senate is set to take up a $500 billion coronavirus stimulus package Wednesday as Congress remains gridlocked over COVID-19 relief. The bill's price is much lower than the $1.8 trillion package the White House is negotiating and the $2.2 trillion plan Democrats have offered. Since it’s not expected to pass into law, the legislation will largely serve as a messaging tool for Republicans. Congress passed a comprehensive package in March but has since been unable to resolve major policy differences on testing, liability protections and school funding. 

More coronavirus news:

DOJ seeks to intervene in defamation case against Trump

Writer E. Jean Carroll said last year that President Donald Trump had raped her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s and later brought a defamation case against Trump after he allegedly slandered her in denying her claims. On Wednesday, oral arguments are set to begin over whether the Department of Justice can move forward with the federal government, rather than Trump, being listed as defendant. A Paste BN review of 19 women's allegations — the number who allege non-consensual physical contact — as well as more than 4,000 words that Trump has spoken, tweeted or released in written statements since 2016 addressing their allegations, show patterns in both the allegations and Trump's reactions to them.

In election news:

Coming to you live (not virtual), it's the Billboard Latin Music Awards

Most of this year's big TV awards ceremonies have gone virtual due to the coronavirus, but that's not the case with Wednesday's Billboard Latin Music Awards. The ceremony, rescheduled from April, is set to air live on Telemundo at 8 p.m. ET from the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. Out of caution, Billboard and NBCUniversal have constructed five separate stages. Everyone involved with the show is subject to routine temperature checks and testing. Venezuelan actress Gaby Espino, star of "Jugar con Fuego" ("Playing with Fire") will host, with Nastassja Bolivar from "Latinx Now!" offering behind-the-scenes coverage. Bad Bunny and Ozuna lead the pack with 14 nominations each.

L.A. Dodgers win Game 1 of World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers' quest to end a 32-year title drought got off to a strong start with an 8-3 win in Game 1 of the 2020 World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Clayton Kershaw chased away his October ghosts, Mookie Betts showed why he was a bargain acquisition for LA, and Cody Bellinger showed no signs of any after effects of a dislocated shoulder from Game 7 of the National League Championship Series. For the second time in three years, Betts has won free tacos for America. Taco Bell's annual "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion has been a great success through the years, setting Twitter ablaze anticipating the first stolen base of the World Series – which earns everyone a free Doritos Locos taco. The World Series resumes Wednesday night with Game 2 (8:08 p.m. ET, FOX).

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