Ex-Officer Hankison Sentenced 33 Months in Breonna Taylor Case

Former Louisville Metro Police Officer Brett Hankison was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for violating Breonna Taylor's civil rights during the 2020 raid that killed her. Despite the conviction, the U.S. Department of Justice, under the Trump administration, controversially recommended a sentence of just one day in jail followed by probation, a move that drew significant community backlash. During Hankison's sentencing hearing, Breonna Taylor's aunt, Bianca Austin, was arrested for alleged disorderly conduct, sparking outrage and accusations that the arrest was an attempt to intimidate activists and silence dissent. The federal judge denied Hankison's defense motion for a new trial, criticizing the defense's allegations of prosecutorial misconduct as unsubstantiated and affirming the strength of the evidence against him. Taylor's family expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging the sentencing as a start but criticizing the prosecution's approach and the perceived leniency of the sentence. Two other officers involved in the raid remain awaiting trial on charges related to falsifying the search warrant affidavit.