Brett Hankison Sentenced to 33 Months for Violating Breonna Taylor's Rights

On Monday, Brett Hankison, a former Kentucky police officer, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after being convicted of violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician who was killed during a botched drug raid in March 2020. The Louisville Metro Police Department had authorized the raid, and during the incident, Hankison, who was a detective at the time, was found guilty last November of causing harm while executing a search warrant at Taylor's residence.

During the sentencing proceedings, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings announced that Hankison would not immediately report to prison, as the Bureau of Prisons will determine the start of his sentence. Following his prison term, Hankison will be subject to three years of supervised probation. The Justice Department had recommended that Hankison receive a mere one-day sentence followed by supervised release, but Judge Jennings criticized this suggestion as inappropriate and insufficient given the circumstances surrounding Taylor's death.

In a statement following the sentencing, attorneys for Taylor's family expressed their disappointment while acknowledging that the sentence, though less than what they desired, was still more than what the Justice Department had sought. They condemned the department's lack of support for Breonna Taylor's rights, pointing out the need for stronger accountability for police misconduct, especially regarding the rights of Black individuals.

Outside the federal courthouse in Louisville, the sentencing hearing sparked protests, with several individuals detained due to confrontational behavior. The civil rights case against Hankison stemmed from the shooting incident in which he discharged multiple shots into Taylor's home, disregarding the safety of others present, including her neighbors. Although the bullets did not hit Taylor, the jury determined that Hankison's actions constituted an attempt to kill, and he faced additional charges related to the rights of nearby residents.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump criticized the Justice Department's initial sentencing request, deeming it disrespectful to Taylor's life and emphasizing the need for genuine accountability in cases of police misconduct. Taylor's death has become emblematic of national discussions about systemic racism and police brutality, especially as no narcotics were found in her home after the incident. The tragedy has triggered legal actions against other officers involved in the case, with ongoing investigations into their roles in the fatal raid.