Jury Finds Former Officer Brett Hankison Violated Breonna Taylor’s Civil Rights in Deadly Raid

A jury on Friday found a former Louisville, Kentucky, police officer guilty of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights. Failed raid that led to his deathNBC affiliate Louisville WAVE reported.

The jury also acquitted Brett Hankison of a second charge accusing him of violating the civil rights of Taylor’s neighbor.

Taylor, 26, was shot and killed by police. March 13, 2020The raid was not conducted by Hankison, however, and he was not charged with her death.

Hankison, 48, fired 10 shots into Taylor’s apartment, but none hit anyone. Some of his shots also flew into a neighboring apartment.

Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, said she was at a loss for words as the verdict was read and didn’t know what to think.

“I am grateful. I thank God,” Palmer told reporters Friday night. He thanked the jurors for taking the time to understand the case.

Hankison was being retried by the Justice Department after the first jury deadlocked on both counts. resulting in mistrialIn November 2023.

In 2020, police had gone to Taylor’s apartment to look for evidence for a narcotics investigation targeting Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, who was living at a different address at the time.

Taylor’s boyfriend U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland said he fired a single shot toward the front door because he thought intruders were entering.

He said two officers “immediately fired a total of 22 shots into the apartment,” one of which struck Taylor in the chest, killing him.

Hankison said he had to act quickly because he believed his fellow officers were being executed. Prosecutors accused him of shooting blindly.

In the current trial, which lasted nearly two weeks, the jury found Hankison not guilty of violating the neighbor’s rights and then returned to deliberate the charge against Taylor.

The jury later returned with a guilty verdict on Taylor’s count, WAVE reported. According to WAVE, at around 21.30 in the evening, some members of the jury burst into tears as the verdict was read. Associated Press reported.

The charge on which Hankison was convicted carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Taylor’s killing sparked outrage across the country. President Joe Biden called her death a tragedy and said the country must undergo meaningful police reforms.

Louisville city council in response to the raid Passed “Breonna Law” Banned in 2020 no-steal orders by the police.

Hankison faced three lawsuits in two years.

Hankison and three other officers or former officers Federally indicted in 2022Although only Hankison of the group was present at the time of the raid.

Joshua Jaynes, Kyle Meany and Kelly Goodlett were accused of obtaining a warrant to search Taylor’s home even though they knew police did not have probable cause to search.

Goodlett is a former Louisville police detective. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy In August 2022. He admitted conspiring with Jaynes to falsify an affidavit for the Taylor warrant and cover it up by lying to investigators.

Court records show sentencing is scheduled for April 29.

Jaynes and Meany still face civil disenfranchisement charges.

Jaynes was also charged with conspiracy and falsifying records in connection with a federal investigation. Meany was also charged with making false statements to federal investigators. Both pleaded not guilty.

The lawsuit was filed Oct. 1 after a federal judge in August number of crimes dismissed In the previous indictment.

No one has been directly charged with state charges in Taylor’s death. state grand jury denied the accusation The police officer who fired the fatal shot.

Hankinson was indicted in three states on wanton endangerment charges for the shootings at his neighbors’ apartment. he was He was acquitted in 2022.

This article was first published on: NBC News.