Federal prosecutors argued in court that a former Louisville police detective's actions were akin to a 'drive-by shooting' when he fired 10 bullets into Breonna Taylor's apartment the night she was fatally shot by police. The detective, Brett Hankison, faced a federal retrial on charges that his shots violated the civil rights of Taylor and her neighbors.
During closing statements, prosecutors highlighted that Hankison couldn't see his target when he fired the shots during the 2020 raid. The jury, consisting of six men and six women, began deliberating on the charges that could lead to a maximum sentence of life in prison if Hankison is convicted.
Hankison's previous federal trial ended in a mistrial due to a deadlocked jury, while he was acquitted in a state trial on wanton endangerment charges in 2022. The prosecution argued that Hankison's actions violated the fundamental rule of deadly force, emphasizing that officers should not fire without being able to identify their target.
On the other hand, Hankison's defense team portrayed the night of Taylor's death as a tense and chaotic situation where Hankison acted to protect his fellow officers. They emphasized that Hankison was unaware of the presence of multiple individuals in Taylor's apartment and believed he was returning fire to save lives.
Hankison testified that he perceived a person armed with an AR-15 firing at officers from inside the apartment, prompting his response. However, it was later revealed that Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, had a handgun and fired a single shot that injured a police officer. The defense argued that Hankison's shots did not hit anyone and were aimed at what he perceived as a threat.
The case has sparked widespread protests over police brutality, with Hankison being one of four officers charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for violating Taylor's civil rights. The trial continues as the jury deliberates on the charges against Hankison.
