Brett Hankison has been acquitted. As CNN reports, on Thursday, March 3rd, a jury absolved the former Louisville Metro Police Department detective of all three counts of felony wanton endangerment in the botched raid that took place in March of 2020, leaving 26-year-old Breonna Taylor dead.
Hankison was the only officer charged in connection with the shooting, although the charges he faced weren't for the young Black woman's death. Rather, he was tried for "firing bullets through Taylor's window and sliding glass door that went into a neighbouring apartment where three people were present."
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According to the defence, "Hankison acted to defend his fellow officers – including one who had been shot – in a chaotic situation." As you may remember, a group of Louisville authorities carried out a search warrant linked to Taylor's ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, at her home, where they rammed the front door open, startling Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker III.
Walker thought the home was being attacked by intruders and reacted by grabbing a gun that he legally owned, firing a shot as officers broke down the door, hitting one of them and subsequently triggering a round of fire from the police, including Hankison. Walker was not injured, but Taylor was shot multiple times and ultimately died.
Following his client's acquittal yesterday, attorney Stewart Mathews said, "Justice was done. The verdict was proper and we are thrilled." Prosecutors shared that they respect the verdict, which came after three hours of deliberation, but declined to share any further commentary with the media.
Had Hankison been convicted, he would've faced one to five years in prison for each charge.
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RIP Breonna Taylor.
[Via]