A mistrial has been announced in the case involving former Louisville Metro Police Department officer Brett Hankison, a key figure in the flawed March 13, 2020, raid resulting in the tragic death of Breonna Taylor.
Hankison, along with officers Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly, executed a "no-knock" warrant at Taylor's residence as part of a drug investigation. Although the target of the warrant wasn't present, Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, mistook the situation for a break-in and discharged his firearm. In the exchange of gunfire, one officer was injured, leading to the police firing over 20 shots.
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron declared in a September 2020 conference that no charges would be filed against Cosgrove and Mattingly, stating they were justified in returning fire. Assault and attempted murder charges against Walker were dismissed in March 2021.
Hankison, on the other hand, faced three counts of wanton endangerment for allegedly firing 10 shots into Taylor's apartment. Three bullets penetrated her apartment, entering a neighbor's unit. He was acquitted of these charges in March 2022.
In August 2022, Hankison faced two civil rights charges, accusing him of willfully using unconstitutionally excessive force when firing into Taylor's apartment. These charges allege that he used a dangerous weapon in an attempt to kill, according to the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Public Affairs.
The trial commenced on Oct. 30, with a federal jury hearing testimony from approximately two dozen witnesses, as reported by the Louisville Courier-Journal. However, on Thursday afternoon, the 12-member jury informed District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings of their impasse. Despite urging them to continue deliberations, the jury remained deadlocked, prompting Jennings to declare a mistrial.
As per NBC News, Hankison faced a potential life sentence, and federal prosecutors retain the option to pursue a retrial.
Comments
Post a Comment