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A former Louisville Metro Police Department detective was acquitted Thursday on three counts of felony wanton endangerment in the raid that left Breonna Taylor dead.
Brett Hankison, 45, the only officer charged with anything in the deadly March 13, 2020 raid that killed 26-year-old Taylor, was found not guilty by Jefferson County jury after around three hours of deliberations. The judge told Hankinson after the verdict he was free to leave.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer issued the following statement after the verdict:
“While I appreciated the work of the jury, today’s decision adds to the frustration and anger of many over the inability to find more accountability for the tragic events of March 13, 2020. While the conduct considered in this case was not specific to Breonna Taylor’s death, the fact remains that she should not have died that night, and I know that for many, justice has still not been achieved. For Metro Government, we remain focused on ensuring this never happens again, with a singular determination to build a greater trust between LMPD and the larger community they are sworn to protect and serve. This includes banning no-knock warrants, conducting a top-to-bottom review of our police department, creating a Civilian Review and Accountability Board and an Office on Inspector General, changing tear gas and duty to intervene policies, making reforms in search warrant and currency seizure policies, and working closely with the Department of Justice to create best-in-nation policies.”
A lawyer for the family of Breonna Taylor, Sam Aguiar, said he was surprised and disappointed by the verdict.
“The jury just told the world that officers can shoot blindly through doors and windows without it being criminal,” Aguiar said. “Their verdict today means that even if Hankison would have killed all three people in apartment 3, it would not have been a crime.”
