Brett Hankison, the former Louisville Police Department officer who shot and killed Breonna Taylor in 2020, was found guilty of using excessive force by a federal jury on Nov. 2.
According to The Associated Press, this is the first conviction of any of the officers who were involved in the no-knock raid that ended Taylor’s life.
After previously clearing Hankison of another charge of using excessive force on Taylor’s neighbors when he shot indiscriminately into their apartments, some members of the jury were emotional after delivering the latest verdict.
“Breonna Taylor’s life mattered,” Assistant Attorney General Kirsten Clarke, who is part of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “We hope the jury’s verdict recognizing this violation of Ms. Taylor’s civil and constitutional rights brings some small measure of comfort to her family and loved ones who have suffered so deeply from the tragic events of March 2020.”
Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, told reporters outside of the courthouse that it was a difficult process for her.
“It took a lot of time. It took a lot of patience. It was hard. The jurors took their time to really understand that Breonna deserved justice,” Palmer said.
During the raid, Hankison shot 10 bullets into Taylor’s windows and the glass door of her apartment, but didn’t hit anyone.
Bernice King, the daughter of slain Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr., described the conviction as a long-awaited moment of accountability in a post to her Twitter account.
“Today’s conviction of a former Kentucky detective for his role in the raid that took Breonna Taylor’s life is a long-awaited moment of accountability. While it cannot restore Breonna to her family, it represents a crucial step in the pursuit of justice and a reminder that no one should be above the law.”
King continued, “Breonna’s life mattered, and her legacy is a call to keep pushing for a system that values every life equally. Let us keep pressing forward—until justice, dignity, and safety are a reality for all.”
Hankison’s conviction carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and his sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2025, and it will be carried out by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings.
Hankison’s lawyers argued throughout the trial that his actions were intended to protect his fellow officers, after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot one of the officers when police used a battering ram to break down her door.
Hankison testified that he moved away after Walker shot, rounded the corner, and shot into both Taylor’s glass door and a window.
Prosecutors made the closing argument that these actions constituted deadly force.
“(Hankison) violated one of the most fundamental rules of deadly force: If they cannot see the person they’re shooting at, they cannot pull the trigger,” prosecutors told the court.
According to NBC News, Attorney General Merrick Garland released a statement following the guilty verdict.
“His use of deadly force was unlawful and put Ms. Taylor in harm’s way,” Garland said. “This verdict is an important step toward accountability for the violation of Breonna Taylor’s civil rights, but justice for the loss of Ms. Taylor is a task that exceeds human capacity.”
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