A former American police officer from Kentucky has been convicted by federal courts for his role in the death of Breonna Taylor. This verdict fell on Friday November 1, and the announcement of his sentence is scheduled for March 2025.
Brett Hankison, the former police officer involved, was found guilty by a jury in the Kentucky capital of Louisville. The case dates back to March 2020, when Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman, was killed during a nighttime police raid carried out as part of an investigation into drug trafficking targeting her former partner.
The night of the tragedy, the incident took place at Breonna Taylor’s home. His companion, surprised by the arrival of the police, fired a shot thinking he was dealing with intruders. The police responded and fatally injured Breonna Taylor.
Her death received little attention until the shock wave caused by the George Floyd affair, an African-American who died in May 2020. The name of Breonna Taylor has become an emblem of the anti-racist protests which shook the States -United.
In September 2020, Brett Hankison was charged with endangering Breonna Taylor’s neighbor by shooting into a partition during the incident. Despite his recent conviction, two other police officers involved remain charged by federal justice.
A federal investigation in March 2023 found inappropriate police practices within the Louisville Police Department, including excessive use of force. The Justice Department called these actions “aggressive” and “discriminatory” police practices, particularly directed against black people.
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