Ex Officer Brett Hankison Sentenced in Breonna Taylor Civil Rights Case

A former Louisville, Kentucky, police officer, Brett Hankison, has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in the Breonna Taylor civil rights case.

Hankison was found guilty of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights during a police raid in March 2020.

Although none of his bullets hit anyone, he fired blindly into Taylor’s apartment through a window and sliding glass door that were covered with blinds and curtains. Some of the shots even entered a neighboring apartment, putting others at risk.

During the sentencing, Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, expressed mixed feelings. She believed the judge did her best under the circumstances but was disappointed by the actions of a new prosecutor, who she said didn’t seem to represent her daughter’s side well. 

Palmer called the court appearance “disrespectful and heartbreaking.” Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was also present at the press conference after the sentencing.

Walker had fired one shot during the raid, not realizing the people breaking in were police officers. He said seeing Hankison go to prison, even for a short time, gave him a small sense of justice.

 “Brett Hankison told me I was going to jail for life,” Walker recalled. “So it feels like something to see him serve time, even if it’s not much.”

Before the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings denied Hankison’s request for a new trial.

READ ALSO: “I Don’t Like Peter Obi. I Hate Him.” – Edo APC Chairman Declares in TV Interview {VIDEO}

His legal team claimed the prosecution had acted unfairly in the previous trial, but the judge rejected the motion, calling it unclear and unconvincing. In a 58-page ruling, she said the motion seemed like an attempt to throw out random accusations and hope one would work.

The incident that led to Taylor’s death began when police officers raided her apartment as part of a narcotics investigation. Her boyfriend fired one shot, thinking they were intruders. In response, officers fired dozens of bullets.

Breonna Taylor was killed in the crossfire. Hankison alone fired ten rounds, none of which hit anyone but endangered Taylor and her neighbors.

In November, Hankison was found guilty of one count of violating Taylor’s civil rights. However, he was cleared of another charge that involved her neighbors, whose apartment was also hit during the raid. 

Prosecutors argued that Hankison’s actions were reckless, unjustified, and violated the constitutional rights of those involved.

Hankison remains the only person convicted in relation to the Breonna Taylor civil rights case.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION→ Telegram | X/Twitter | Facebook | WhatsApp|WhatsApp Channel|Mobile App|Instagram