Former Louisville police detective Brett Hankison’s federal civil rights trial has been declared a mistrial. Hankison, who was charged in the 2020 death of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman whose killing sparked widespread protests, faced charges of civil rights violations for allegedly using excessive force. However, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, leading U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings to declare a mistrial.
Prosecutors must now decide whether to try Hankison again. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice stated that they are actively considering all available options.
Hankison, who is white, was the only officer of the three who fired their weapons to face criminal charges. The other two officers involved in the botched raid on Taylor’s apartment were not indicted by a Kentucky grand jury, after Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron did not recommend charges for them.
The killing of Taylor, along with several other high-profile killings in 2020, including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, led to widespread outrage and protests across the U.S. and around the globe.
Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was fatally shot when police conducted a no-knock raid on her apartment. The raid was connected to a drug investigation involving Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, who did not live with her at the time.
Aside from Hankison, three other former Louisville police officers were charged with knowingly including false information in an affidavit that led to the raid on Taylor’s apartment. One officer pleaded guilty, while two others are awaiting trial in federal court.
The incident has reignited conversations about police conduct and racial justice, and the mistrial in Hankison’s case may further fuel the debate. The Department of Justice’s decision on whether to retry Hankison will be closely watched as the conversation around accountability for police actions continues to unfold.
The article was reported by Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado and edited by Sandra Maler. It abides by the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.