LOUISVILLE (Kentucky Today) — Federal prosecutors have recommended a one-day prison sentence for Brett Hankison, a former Louisville Metro Police Department officer (LMPD) who was convicted of violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor, a Louisville EMT who was shot to death by LMPD officers during a botched drug raid at her apartment in 2020.
National civil rights attorneys Ben Crump, Lonita Baker, and Sam Aguiar, who represent the family of Breonna Taylor, issued the following statement in response to the Department of Justice’s sentencing recommendation:
“This recommendation is an insult to the life of Breonna Taylor and a blatant betrayal of the jury’s decision. Every American who believes in equal justice under the law should be outraged. It is unfathomable that, after finally securing a conviction, the Department of Justice would seek a sentence so drastically below the federal guidelines.
“This sets a dangerous precedent. When a police officer is found guilty of violating someone’s constitutional rights, there must be real accountability and justice. Recommending just one day in prison sends the unmistakable message that white officers can violate the civil rights of Black Americans with near-total impunity.
“The family asked for one thing: that Brett Hankison be sentenced in accordance with the law and federal guidelines. Instead, Tamika Palmer is left, once again, heartbroken and angry. Still, she is holding out hope and praying that the judge will do what the DOJ has refused to do – uphold the law, respect the jury’s verdict, and deliver true justice for Breonna Taylor.”
Taylor was shot to death by LMPD officers while they were executing a warrant on March 13, 2020. When narcotics detectives knocked down her front door, the noise prompted her boyfriend to fire a shot, wounding one of the officers. They returned fire and Taylor was struck several times. No drugs were found in the home.
Hankison was the only person charged in the case. Two other LMPD officers, Jonathon Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, who fired the fatal shots, were not charged.
