Judge sentences former officer convicted in deadly raid on Breonna Taylor’s home

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - After a four-hour hearing, a Kentucky judge issued a sentence of just under three years in prison for a former police officer convicted of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights in the deadly raid on her home.

On Monday, a judge sentenced former Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Brett Hankison to 33 months, or two years and nine months, in federal prison, followed by three years of probation. He was the first Louisville police officer involved in the deadly raid on Taylor’s home who was convicted.

Hankison was found guilty in November of violating Taylor’s civil rights and using excessive force when he entered her home in March 2020 after a search warrant was issued in connection with Taylor’s boyfriend allegedly selling drugs. Taylor was killed during the botched raid, and no drugs were found inside the home.

Hankison did not shoot Taylor but fired his gun 10 times into her apartment through a sliding glass door. Three bullets went into an adjacent apartment and nearly hit the people inside.

The Department of Justice had recommended no prison time for Hankison. Several social justice advocates in the community spoke out against the recommendation.

The judge said during the hearing, the prosecution did a “180 degree turn” as they, as well as the defense, argued for time served for the one day Hankison spent in jail when he was initially booked and for him to just serve probation. The judge said the government was arguing the opposite of what they did to the jury during the trial.

The DOJ changed leadership between the November trial and its recommendation last Wednesday that Hankison serve only probation when President Donald Trump took office in January.

The judge said the DOJ’s recommendation and later prosecution’s recommendation was inappropriate, but she went lower than the sentence a probation officer recommended of 11 to 14 years in prison.

During the sentencing hearing, Hankison apologized to Taylor’s family and said if he knew what he did today, he never would have fired his gun.

After the sentencing, Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, spoke outside of the courthouse. She and Benjamin Crump, the family’s attorney, said Hankison had both attorneys – his private lawyer and the prosecutor – arguing for him during the sentencing hearing.

“I think the judge did the best she could with what she had to work with,” Palmer said. “There was no prosecution in there for us. There was no prosecution in there for Breonna.”

When asked if she felt like they saw a fair sentencing, Palmer said, “I feel like we got something. I don’t think it was a fair sentencing, but it was a start... I’m grateful for the judge for giving some time because we could’ve walked away with nothing, according to what they recommended.”

Palmer added the prosecutor did not know who she was.

“That man didn’t know who I was when I walked into the room. I’ve never seen such a thing. I’ve never heard of such a thing. It was disrespectful, it was heartbreaking, it shouldn’t have happened,” Palmer said.

Crump said he and the family were grateful the case had at least gotten this far.

“Even though it’s not what we wanted – we thought he should’ve gotten more time – we are grateful to Kristen Clark, Merrick Garland and a Department of Justice who encouraged, for the first time in history, to bring federal charges against a police officer for killing a Black woman in America,” Crump said.

Protesters spoke out as well after the sentencing, expressing a mix of emotions from excitement to frustration. One protester said they did not think it was enough.

“I don’t think [the sentencing]’s justice. I think that he was involved in the murder of a person. I think if he was a Black male individual, he would have been probably sent away for life,” Anice Chenault said.

Before Hankison was sentenced, a judge denied his request for a new trial.

Four protesters, including Breonna Taylor’s aunt Bianca Austin, were taken into custody Monday afternoon after some protesters began to block traffic outside the courthouse.

Protesters were upset that Austin and Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenny Walker, were not initially allowed into the courtroom, as it had filled up. Walker was eventually allowed in to give a victim impact statement.