A jury in Louisville, Kentucky, found former police officer Brett Hankison guilty of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights during a botched raid that resulted in her death. Although Hankison fired 10 shots into Taylor’s apartment, none of them hit anyone. The jury acquitted him of another charge related to Taylor’s neighbor. Taylor, 26, was killed in the March 13, 2020, raid, but Hankison was not charged with her death.
Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, expressed gratitude for the verdict. The Justice Department retried Hankison after a mistrial in November 2023. The raid sought evidence in a narcotics investigation targeting Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, who lived elsewhere. Taylor’s boyfriend fired a shot at what he thought were intruders, prompting officers to fire 22 shots, one of which killed Taylor.
Hankison testified he acted to protect his fellow officers, while prosecutors accused him of firing blindly. The jury found Hankison not guilty regarding the neighbor but guilty concerning Taylor. His conviction carries a potential life sentence. Taylor’s death sparked nationwide outrage and led to the passage of “Breonna’s Law” in Louisville, banning no-knock warrants.
Hankison and three other officers faced federal charges in 2022, but only Hankison was present during the raid. Former officer Kelly Goodlett pleaded guilty to conspiracy in falsifying the Taylor warrant. Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany face charges related to deprivation of rights and falsification. No state charges were filed directly in Taylor’s death, and a state grand jury did not indict the officer who fired the fatal shot. Hankison was previously acquitted of state charges for endangerment involving the neighbors.