Former police officer convicted of violating civil rights during raid linked to Breonna Taylor case

A federal judge sentenced former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison to 33 months in prison Monday for violating the civil rights of several people during a botched raid in 2020 that ended in the death of Breonna Taylor. Although he was not responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor, the case became one of the most publicized in the country and led to intense political pressure on the justice system.

Hankison was found guilty of recklessly shooting through a curtain-covered door and window, without identifying a clear target, which put the occupants of an apartment next door to Taylor's at risk. None of the shots fired by him struck Taylor, and prosecutors acknowledged that he was not responsible for her death.

The sentence was handed down by Federal Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings, nominated by President Donald Trump, despite the Justice Department recommending a reduced sentence of a single day in prison and three years probation, arguing that Hankison did not cause direct physical harm to anyone.

What exactly did Hankison do?

During the overnight raid on March 13, 2020, officers from the Louisville Police Department entered Breonna Taylor's apartment unannounced as part of an anti-drug operation. Her boyfriend, who was legally armed, believed they were intruders and fired a shot. Officers responded with 22 shots.

Hankison, who was outside the apartment, ran to the back of the building and fired 10 shots through a curtain-covered door and window, not knowing who or what was on the other side. None of those shots hit Taylor, but three of them went through the wall and into the neighboring apartment, where a family with a small child was sleeping.

It was for this conduct—recklessly firing without identifying a target—that Hankison was charged with violating the civil rights of the occupants of the adjoining apartment.