In the federal civil trial of former Louisville Police Officer Brett Hankison, the jury has begun deliberations.
This is after the prosecution rested its case, alleging that Hankison recklessly fired bullets during a botched drug raid that tragically resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor over three years ago.
The Justice Department attorneys asserted during closing arguments that Hankison “blindly” opened fire, spraying bullets through covered windows and walls into a neighboring apartment where another family was sleeping on March 13, 2020.
As the 47-year-old former officer faces charges of violating Taylor’s civil rights, prosecutors argued that Hankison failed to identify a specific target, putting multiple lives at risk.
The trial, which spans ten days, also saw Hankison taking the stand in his own defense, reports The Atlanta Black Star. The judge will issue the final sentence, but the jury is now tasked with determining Hankison’s fate after deliberations began at 5 p.m. Monday, extending into Tuesday.
In their final appeal to the jury, prosecutors recalled testimony from deputies who approached Taylor’s dwelling alongside Hankison, describing his actions as “shocking,” “unfathomably dangerous,” and “stomach-churning.”
Michael Songer, a prosecutor, emphasized that Hankison’s indiscriminate firing contradicted his training and oath of office to protect the public.
On the defense side, attorney Stew Matthews argued that Hankison took appropriate action in the moment, attempting to save his “brother officers.”
Matthews contended that the government failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt and urged jurors to consider Hankison’s perspective on the night of the raid.
The tragic events unfolded when officers executed a no-knock search warrant at Taylor’s home, intending to target a drug dealer living miles away. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were in bed when they were startled by banging at the door, leading Walker to open fire, thinking intruders were entering.
The chaotic exchange resulted in Taylor’s death and Hankison firing nearly a dozen shots through her window and sliding glass door.
While Hankison was acquitted on state charges related to the incident in March 2022, the federal trial investigates potential violations of Taylor’s civil rights.
The federal investigation also uncovered multiple violations within the Louisville Metro Police Department and city government regarding police encounters in the Black community.
Taylor’s death, along with George Floyd’s killing, ignited the Black Lives Matter movement and prompted nationwide protests for police reform.
Three other former Louisville officers face federal charges related to the case.
