The Trump administration is asking a one-day prison sentence for a former Kentucky police officer who was convicted of a raid that killed Breonna Taylor, a black woman in her home.
A federal jury found former official Brett Hankison guilty of excessive force of violation of Taylor’s civil rights – the maximum sentence for the charge was life imprisonment.
If the judge agrees to the U.S. Department of Justice’s recommendation, Hannison will serve one day in prison and be avoided for further time due to the time he has served.
Attorneys representing the Taylor family condemned the move, calling it an “insult to Brena Taylor’s life.”
“Every American who believes in the law provides for equal justice should be angry,” the Taylors’ attorney said in a statement. “It is recommended that only one day prison send a clear message that white officers can violate the civil rights of nearly impunity black Americans.”
Brett Hankison is the only officer charged and convicted of alleged outbreak.
Federal prosecutors said the jury’s ruling almost guarantees that Hanssen will never serve as a law enforcement officer again, and that the additional prison time is “just unjustly in this case.”
In addition to the one-day verdict, the Justice Department also asked the judge to sentence him to three years of supervised release.
Prosecutors argued that despite his involvement in the “execution of the warrant” during the fatal raid, he did not shoot Taylor but was not responsible for her death.”
After Taylor’s death, Taylor became a Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, with police killing George Floyd.
She was killed after she executed a “no knock” search warrant at home. They broke into her apartment early in the morning when she fell asleep with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker.
Authorities believe Taylor’s ex-boyfriend is using her home to hide narcotics.
Mr Walker fired a shot when police officers knocked down the door and ran into an officer, John Mattingly. Mr Walker said the officers did not declare themselves police officers and he believed they were invaders.
The three officers shot 32 bullets into the apartment in a fire.
He said during the trial that Hankinson opened her apartment 10 times to protect her fellow countrymen.
Hankison’s bullets hit no one, but they did enter the neighboring property, a pregnant woman, a five-year-old and a man who had been sleeping.
Prosecutors said Hannison took reckless action and “violated one of the most fundamental deadly rules of force: if they can’t see the person they are shooting, they won’t be able to trigger it.”
Hanssen was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June 2020.
The judge will consider the government’s request in his planned sentencing next week.
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
