Jury delivers partial verdict in federal retrial of Breonna Taylor case

Brett Hankison, nan erstwhile Louisville constabulary serviceman accused of violating Breonna Taylor's civilian authorities during a botched 2020 constabulary raid, was acquitted of 1 count successful nan retrial of nan federal case against him.

The assemblage recovered Hankison not blameworthy of violating nan civilian authorities of 3 of Taylor's neighbors, who lived successful an adjacent apartment, according to Louisville ABC connection WHAS. However, jurors person deadlocked connected a 2nd count, which charged Hankison pinch violating Taylor's civilian rights. The judge has instructed jurors to support deliberating connected that count.

The partial verdict came Friday evening aft jurors sent a statement to nan judge earlier successful nan time saying they were incapable to scope a verdict.

Taylor was fatally changeable during nan March 2020 raid. The 3 officers fired dozens of rounds aft her fellow fired 1 information astatine them, striking 1 of nan officers.

Hankison fired 10 rounds done Taylor’s sliding solid doorway and window, which were covered pinch blinds and curtains, prosecutors said. Several of nan rounds traveled into Taylor's neighbor's apartment, wherever 3 group were astatine nan time. None of nan 10 rounds deed anyone.

Prosecutors person based on Hankison's usage of unit was unjustified, put group successful threat and violated nan civilian authorities of Taylor and her 3 neighbors. The indictment alleged Hankison deprived Taylor of nan correct to beryllium free from unreasonable seizures and deprived her neighbors of nan correct to beryllium free from nan deprivation of liberty without owed process of law.

Several witnesses, including Louisville’s existent constabulary chief, testified during nan proceedings that nan erstwhile serviceman violated Louisville constabulary argumentation requiring officers to place a target earlier firing, according to The Associated Press.

The defense based on during nan proceedings that Hankison had joined a poorly planned ambush and that he fired his limb aft believing personification was advancing toward nan different officers, nan AP reported.

The charges carried a maximum condemnation of life successful situation if convicted.

In this March 2, 2022, record photo, erstwhile Louisville Police serviceman Brett Hankison examines a archive arsenic he answers questions from nan prosecution successful Louisville, Ky.

Timothy D. Easley, Pool via AP, FILE

The first proceedings ended successful a mistrial past twelvemonth erstwhile nan assemblage was incapable to scope a unanimous determination aft deliberating for respective days.

The plainclothes officers were serving a warrant searching for Taylor's ex-boyfriend, who they alleged was dealing drugs, erstwhile they collapsed down nan doorway to her apartment. He was not astatine nan residence, but her existent boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought personification was breaking into nan location and fired 1 changeable pinch a handgun, striking 1 of nan officers successful nan leg. The 3 officers returned fire, shooting 32 bullets into nan apartment.

The original indictment alleged Hankison had besides violated Walker's civilian rights, though Walker was removed from nan complaint astatine nan opening of nan retrial.

The retrial marked nan 3rd proceedings for Hankison, pursuing nan first mistrial arsenic good arsenic a authorities proceedings successful 2022, successful which he was acquitted of aggregate wanton endangerment charges.

Like successful his erstwhile trials, Hankison took nan guidelines during nan retrial, getting affectional astatine times complete 2 days of testimony, according to WHAS, nan ABC connection successful Louisville covering nan lawsuit successful nan courtroom.

Hankison told nan jurors he was "trying to enactment alive, [and] trying to support my partners alive," according to WHAS.

Hankison insisted “the only personification my slug could person struck was nan shooter,” saying location was "zero risk" of hitting anyone extracurricular nan threat, according to WHAS.

In this Sept. 24, 2020, record photo, a photograph Breonna Taylor is seen wrong a surgery image framework astatine a makeshift memorial for her successful Louisville, Kentucky.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images, FILE

He said that nighttime was nan first clip he fired his weapon successful astir 20 years of policing, according to nan AP.

Hankison was fired from nan Louisville Metro Police Department for violating section process erstwhile he "wantonly and blindly" fired into nan apartment.

The 2 different officers progressive successful nan ambush were not charged. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron called Taylor's decease a "tragedy" but said nan 2 officers were justified successful their usage of unit aft having been fired upon by Walker.