A federal judge on Friday ruled that a former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer violated his civil rights when he was involved in a March 13, 2020 drug raid that led to the fatal police shooting of a woman.
A jury in Louisville, Kentucky, found Brett Hankison, 46, guilty of one count of civil rights violation during the attack on Breonna Taylor, 26, at her home. According to In response to a statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ). Hankison said he was trying to kill her and fired five shots into her bedroom window, which was covered by blinds and blackout curtains. According to Until the indictment. None of his shots hit Taylor, but Hankison reportedly fired when “a lawful purpose no longer existed justifying the use of deadly force.” .
But the court found Hankison not guilty of violating the constitutional rights of three of Taylor’s neighbors by firing five more shots into Taylor’s living room through a similarly covered sliding glass door. The bullet reportedly missed Taylor, who had already been shot, in the head and went through a neighbor’s apartment, endangering the lives of three residents, including a 3-year-old boy at the time.
According to the Department of Justice, the investigation began around 12:45 a.m. when seven LMPD detectives knocked on Taylor’s door and announced their presence. When there was no response, detectives broke down the door. Taylor’s boyfriend – identified by the Department of Justice as “KW” but named Kenneth Walker various media report According to the Department of Justice, he used a legally obtained handgun to shoot at LMPD detectives. Two officers fired back into the apartment through the doorway, killing Taylor.
The officers who shot Taylor were identified as former Detective Sergeant John Mattingly and former Detective Myles Cosgrove, The Associated Press reported. Walker’s gunfire reportedly injured Mattingly.
Hankison exited the door and fired through the bedroom window and sliding glass door into the living room, according to the Department of Justice.
Hankison’s colleagues and numerous other law enforcement officers who participated in the raid testified that “Hankison violated LMPD training and law enforcement principles when he blindly fired into a crowded apartment complex.” ” According to the Department of Justice.
Neighbors who were almost attacked also testified.
Neither Mattingly nor Cosgrove were charged in Taylor’s death because prosecutors determined they were justified in attacking Walker, the Associated Press reported.
The Department of Justice announced that Hankison, who served as an LMPD officer for 17 years, will be sentenced on March 12, 2025. (Related: Four police officers charged federally in deadly Breonna Taylor attack)
LMPD said The company said it “respects the jury’s verdict” and will “strive for continuous improvement.”
Two other officers are charged with helping prepare and approve a false affidavit that led to the deadly raid on Taylor’s home. A third person admitted to conspiracy to falsify an affidavit, the statement said.
Misinformation spread about Taylor’s death, According to some reportincluding June 2020 Billing According to the Democratic Party, “[t]Three police officers shot and killed Breonna Taylor after breaking into her home without a warrant, warning, or reason. ”
According to Hankison’s indictment, LMPD obtained a search warrant to raid Taylor’s apartment. The search warrant is a “no-knock” warrant, which was obtained out of concern that drug suspects could destroy evidence and endanger the lives of police officers, USA Today reported. reported.
LMPD arrested Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, in December 2019 on gun and drug charges and was investigating his alleged ongoing relationship with Taylor. According to Go to Courier Journal. LMPD found mail addressed to Glover in Taylor’s apartment during the deadly raid, but no drugs, the outlet reported.
Taylor’s death affected Kentucky Breonna’s Law Prohibition of “no-knock” warrants.
