Jury Declares Mistrial For Ex-Officer Involved In Breonna Taylor Raid
OAN’s Abril Elfi
6:02 PM – Thursday, November 16, 2023
A mistrial declared in case of former officer charged in Breonna Taylor raid
Jury Deadlocked in Breonna Taylor Case
A jury has declared a mistrial in the case of Brett Hankinson, a former officer who was charged in connection to the fatal raid of Breonna Taylor’s house.
On Thursday, a federal judge declared a mistrial in the case of the former Louisville police officer who was charged with violating the civil rights of Taylor, her boyfriend, and their neighbors, the night Taylor was killed in a police raid in 2020.
The night of the incident, Hankinson fired 10 shots into Taylor’s home after officers came under fire during a drug warrant search on March 13th, 2020.
Some of the gun shots reportedly flew into a neighboring apartment, but did not strike anyone. The 12-member jury sent a note to U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings that said they were at an impasse.
During deliberations, the judge reported hearing “elevated voices” from the jury room, prompting court security agents to enter the room. On Thursday, jurors informed the judge that they were deadlocked on both counts against Hankison and were unable to reach a verdict, prompting Jennings to declare a mistrial.
Federal prosecutors now have to determine if the mistrial could result in a retrial for Hankison.
Lonita Baker, an attorney for Taylor’s family, spoke to the press and said that Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, was disappointed with the outcome but remained encouraged “because a mistrial is not an acquittal.
In August 2022, Hankison was accused in a two-count indictment with deprivation of rights under cover of law, both of which are civil rights violations.
According to court filings, he was charged with knowingly depriving Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, of their constitutional right to be free from arbitrary seizures, which includes the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer during a seizure.
He was also charged with willfully depriving Taylor’s neighbors Chelsey Napper, Cody Etherton, and Zayden Flournoy of their right to be free from the deprivation of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to be free from a police officer’s use of unjustified force.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Rep. George Santos faces more Campaign Misappropriation accusations, Diddy fields accusations of his own and a jury brings the hammer down on David Depape.
After Presidents Biden and Xi Jinping meet, whistleblowers cite concerns over Sequoia Capital.
Both Iowa and West Virginia are leading an 18-state coalition opposing the gag order a federal court has placed on former President Donald Trump.
In a 3-2 vote this week, the Federal Communications Commission has adopted final rules to prevent so-called ‘digital discrimination,’ that many say is rooted in Critical Race Theory. One America’s Chief White House Correspondent Monica Paige breaks down the details.
Spotify expanded its partnership with Google Cloud to use large language models to help identify a user’s listening patterns across podcasts and audiobooks.
Starlink has secured a contract to offer free internet in Mexico until the end of 2026.
U.S. lawmakers asked Apple Inc to explain the abrupt end of political comedian Jon Stewart’s television show on its streaming service.
Elon Musk denied a report that his rocket company SpaceX was discussing an IPO for its satellite internet business, Starlink.
rnrn
What are the next steps for federal prosecutors after the mistrial declaration and what are the possibilities of a retrial in this case
A Mistrial Declared in Case of Former Officer Charged in Breonna Taylor Raid
On Thursday, a federal judge declared a mistrial in the case of Brett Hankinson, a former police officer who was charged in connection to the fatal raid of Breonna Taylor’s house. The jury, consisting of 12 members, was deadlocked and unable to reach a verdict after several days of deliberation.
The incident occurred on March 13, 2020, when officers executed a drug warrant at Taylor’s home. Hankinson fired 10 shots into Taylor’s home after the officers came under fire. Some of the shots entered a neighboring apartment but did not harm anyone.
During the trial, the jury sent a note to U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings, stating that they were unable to reach a unanimous decision. The judge reported hearing elevated voices from the jury room, and court security agents entered the room. Ultimately, the jury informed the judge that they were deadlocked on both counts against Hankinson, leading to the declaration of a mistrial.
Now, federal prosecutors will have to determine if a retrial is warranted for Hankinson. This outcome has left Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, disappointed but encouraged, as a mistrial is not an acquittal.
Hankinson was indicted in August 2022, with two counts of deprivation of rights under the cover of law, which are civil rights violations. The charges alleged that he knowingly deprived Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, of their constitutional rights to be free from arbitrary seizures and the use of unreasonable force by a police officer. He was also accused of willfully depriving Taylor’s neighbors of their right to be free from the deprivation of liberty without due process of law.
The mistrial in this case highlights the challenges of seeking justice in cases involving police officers. While disappointed, Taylor’s family remains hopeful that the pursuit of justice will continue. The mistrial does not represent an acquittal and leaves the possibility open for a retrial. The final decision rests with federal prosecutors who will now have to carefully consider their next steps.
To stay informed and receive breaking news updates, you can subscribe to receive news blasts directly to your inbox for free.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...