Ex-Louisville cop Brett Hankison guilty of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights

Former Louisville constabulary serviceman Brett Hankison has been recovered guilty of violating the civilian rights of Breonna Taylor, a Black pistillate who was fatally changeable wrong her ain flat during a botched instrumentality enforcement raid successful 2020.

The 12-member jury delivered the verdict connected Friday astir 9:30 p.m., sparking an affectional effect from Taylor’s friends and loved ones, who celebrated the determination extracurricular the courtroom.

“It took a batch of time,” her mother, Tamika Palmer, told reporters. “It took a batch of patience. It was hard. The jurors took their clip to truly recognize that Breonna deserved justice.”

Some members of the jury, made up of six men and six women, also appeared emotional arsenic the verdict was read. They had earlier told the justice successful 2 abstracted messages that they were deadlocked connected the complaint of utilizing excessive unit connected Taylor, but opted to proceed their deliberations, which yet took much than 20 hours dispersed retired implicit the people of 3 days.

“Breonna Taylor’s beingness mattered,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We anticipation the jury’s verdict recognizing this usurpation of Ms. Taylor’s civilian and law rights brings immoderate tiny measurement of comfortableness to her household and loved ones who person suffered truthful profoundly from the tragic events of March 2020.”

Taylor, a Black EMT, was dormant successful furniture with her fellow Kenneth Walker connected March 13, 2020 erstwhile 3 undercover Louisville cops — Brett Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove — burst into her location astatine astir 12:40 a.m.

Walker fired disconnected a informing shot, unaware the men helium thought to beryllium intruders were instrumentality enforcement officers.

Police past returned fire, striking Taylor six times. She was pronounced dead connected the scene.

Hankison fired 10 shots successful those chaotic moments, but helium did not deed anyone. Some shots flew into a next-door neighbor’s adjoining apartment.

Earlier connected Friday, jurors acquitted Hankison connected a 2nd number that accused him of violating the civilian rights of Taylor’s neighbor. He was being retried by the Justice Department aft a archetypal assemblage deadlocked connected some counts, ending successful a mistrial, successful November 2023.

With News Wire Services