• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Jury acquits only Louisville officer charged in Breonna Taylor raid

Towleroad March 4, 2022 Leave a Comment

Published by
Reuters

By Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) – A Kentucky jury on Thursday acquitted a white former detective of endangering neighbors of Breonna Taylor during a botched raid that killed the Black woman in her home, clearing law enforcement of all criminal liability in a case that rocked the United States in 2020.

Detective Brett Hankison, 45, whose stray bullets hit a neighboring apartment in the city of Louisville during the execution of a “no knock” search warrant after midnight, was the only officer charged in the case, with wanton endangerment.

Hankison could be heard sobbing behind his face mask as the verdict was read three times, one for each of the occupants of the neighboring apartment, according a Court TV reporter who was in the courtroom.

Relatives of Taylor who were in the gallery also wept, the reporter said.

The jury deliberated for about three hours after hearing closing arguments on Thursday at the conclusion of a one-week trial at Jefferson County Circuit Court.

The death of Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician who was unarmed, was one in a trio of cases that fueled a summer of protests against racial injustice and police violence two years ago, when the country was reeling from the still-new coronavirus pandemic.

The other cases resulted in guilty verdicts for the murders of two Black men in 2020: George Floyd in Minneapolis and Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia.

Those convictions had offered a measure of justice after Black activists and victims have said their protests against racial violence were largely ignored before the advent of cellphone video.

In this case, a grand jury cleared the two white officers who shot Taylor but charged Hankison for endangering neighbors in the adjacent apartment. A grand juror on the case later said Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron only presented the wanton endangerment charges against Hankison to the grand jury.

That meant the only trial to result from her death hinged on whether a police officer was justified in firing his weapon upon hearing a barrage of gunfire.

“Today’s decision adds to the frustration and anger of many over the inability to find more accountability for the tragic events of March 13, 2020,” Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said in a statement. “I know that for many, justice has still not been achieved.”

Police wanted to search the home in connection with a drug investigation in which Taylor’s ex-boyfriend was a suspect.

After police broke down Taylor’s door, her new boyfriend, fearing a break-in and saying he did not hear police identify themselves, fired one shot from and handgun that wounded an officer. That officer and another returned fire, shooting 22 times.

In tearful testimony on Wednesday, Hankison said he mistakenly believed his fellow officers were coming under heavy fire. He shot 10 times from outside the apartment.

“I think it was absolutely the fact that he was doing his job as a police officer,” defense attorney Stew Mathews told reporters after the verdict, according to the Louisville Courier Journal. “The jury felt like, you go out and perform your duty and your brother officer gets shot, you’ve got a right to defend yourself.”

Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, left without commenting, the Courier Journal said. Taylor’s family in 2020 won a $12 million wrongful death settlement from the city of Louisville.

Taylor’s death at first drew little national attention but was thrust into prominence after a Minneapolis police officer killed Floyd by pinning a knee to his neck on May 25, 2020.

Around then, video surfaced showing the February 2020 shooting death of Arbery after he was chased by three white men.

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering Floyd last year and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.

The three civilians charged in Arbery’s death were convicted of murder in a state trial last year.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Donna Bryson, Cynthia Osterman and Bill Berkrot)

Topics: Aaon, towleroad

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Fiancee of Donald Trump Jr subpoenaed by Jan. 6 committee
Next Post: Texas appeals order stopping it from investigating parents of transgender teen »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • People: Princess Charlotte ‘is quite a strong character, almost wise beyond her years’
    I’ve been saying this for years and I’ll probably still be […]
  • “Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada will never be for sale” links
    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told Donald Trump that Canada will […]
  • Fed Chair Powell: Trump Tariffs Lead To Higher Inflation, Higher Unemployment
    Fed Chair Jerome Powell issued dire warnings on lowering interest rates, […]
  • Huh. How Did Traders Buy $MELANIA Coin Before It Went Public?
    A small group of crypto traders made nearly $100 million by […]
  • Despite living a long distance apart, comedy star Fortune Feimster making time for her parents
    View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fortune Feimster […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×