Controversial ‘no-knock’ warrants questioned in Breonna Taylor case are legal in Illinois

In Illinois, no-knock warrants are legal and are issued at the discretion of a judge.

State law stipulates that the judge who signs a warrant “may authorize the officer executing the warrant to make entry without first knocking and announcing his or her office” if the officer believes that a weapon would be used or if there is an “imminent” danger that evidence would be destroyed.

The Chicago Police Department requires officers who’ve been issued a no-knock warrant to first consult with a SWAT team supervisor before executing the warrant.

The CPD’s use of no-knock warrants has come under scrutiny in recent years, with several lawsuits filed against officers who allegedly used no-knock warrants to search the homes of people who’ve done nothing wrong.

Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers who entered her home in Louisville, Kentucky, on a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation. Kentucky State Attorney General Daniel Cameron, however, said the investigation showed the officers announced themselves before entering. The warrant used to search her home was connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside.

Contributing: Associated Press