Mistrial declared for ex-cop Brett Hankison in Breonna Taylor shooting
The federal trial for former Louisville, Kentucky, police Officer Brett Hankison in connection to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor ended in a mistrial Thursday when the jury was deadlocked.
Taylor was killed at her boyfriend’s apartment on March 13, 2020 when she was shot during a “no-knock” drug raid by police. After Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a single shot, hitting one of the officers in the leg, three officers shot back. Hankison fired 10 times but did not hit Taylor.
Hankison, 47, was charged with using excessive force that violated the rights of Breonna Taylor, her boyfriend and her next-door neighbors.
During closing arguments, federal prosecutor Michael Songer said Hankison knew he shouldn’t have fired his gun wildly without seeing a target.
After deliberating for several days, the 12 members of the jury told U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings they were at an impasse. After they returned to deliberations, the jurors told the judge Thursday they were deadlocked on both counts against Hankison. The charges carried a maximum sentence of life in prison.
However, federal prosecutors could still pursue a retrial.
In 2022, Hankison was acquitted on state charges of wanton endangerment for firing a shot that went into a neighboring apartment but didn’t hit anyone. He was dismissed from the department in 2020.
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