Mistrial Declared in Federal Trial of Officer Charged in Breonna Taylor Killing

Former Louisville police detective Brett Hankison poses for a booking photograph at Shelby County Detention Center in Shelbyville, Kentucky, U.S. September 23, 2020. Shelby County Detention Center/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

The federal civil rights trial of former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison, charged in connection with the 2020 death of Breonna Taylor, resulted in a declared mistrial on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings made the decision after the jury communicated their inability to reach a unanimous verdict on the civil rights violations charges against Hankison, who is accused of using excessive force.

Hankison, a white officer, faced allegations of firing 10 bullets during the ill-fated raid on Taylor's apartment, with none hitting anyone. In a separate state trial last year, he was acquitted of endangering Taylor's neighbors by firing his weapon. Notably, he was the sole officer among the three involved in the shooting to face criminal charges. The other two officers were not indicted by a Kentucky grand jury, following the state Attorney General Daniel Cameron's decision not to recommend charges against them.

Breonna Taylor's death during a no-knock raid in March 2020 became a focal point for racial justice protests nationwide. The 26-year-old emergency medical technician was fatally shot when police forcibly entered her apartment. The raid was related to a drug investigation involving Taylor's ex-boyfriend, who was not residing with her at the time.

With the mistrial declared, federal prosecutors must now determine whether to pursue another trial against Hankison. The Department of Justice, in a statement, mentioned actively considering available options in the wake of the mistrial. Notably, aside from Hankison, three other former Louisville police officers were charged by federal prosecutors last year for knowingly including false information in the warrant application leading to the fatal raid. One officer pleaded guilty, while two others are awaiting trial in federal court.