A former Louisville police officer was convicted on Friday of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights during the 2020 raid at her apartment that resulted in her death.
The jury found that former officer Brett Hankison used excessive force against Taylor when he fired 10 shots during the botched raid at Taylor’s apartment, though none of his shots struck anyone.
Hankison faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the conviction. The verdict was handed down just hours after the jury acquitted him on a separate charge of violating the civil rights of Taylor’s neighbor.
Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, welcomed Hankison’s conviction and told reporters that “the jurors took their time to really understand that Breonna deserved justice.”
“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,” she stated. “Breonna’s life mattered, and her legacy is a call to keep pushing for a system that values every life equally.”
Taylor, a 26-year-old medical worker, was asleep when the officers carried out a “no-knock” raid on her apartment in March 2020 as part of a drug investigation targeting her boyfriend, who was a suspect.
Police believed that the suspect was using Taylor’s apartment to receive illicit packages, although no drugs were found at her home.
During the raid, Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot that struck one of the officers in the leg. Walker said that he fired his handgun because he believed intruders were breaking in. Two officers returned fire, and several bullets struck and killed Taylor.
Hankison argued that he fired the shots to protect his fellow officers after Walker opened fire at them. Prosecutors said that he acted recklessly by firing into doors and windows without having a clear view of target.
