Brennen Brothers, contributor

On Nov. 1, around 9:30 p.m., a federal jury convicted former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) Officer Brett Hankison for use of excessive force and violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor, leaving her dead on March 13, 2020. 

AP News shared a quote from Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, as she and friends celebrated the verdict, “It took a lot of time. It took a lot of patience. It was hard. The jurors took their time to really understand that Breonna deserved justice.”

The jury of 12, consisting of six men and six women, deliberated for more than 20 hours over three days, according to AP News. According to the Office of Public Affairs, Hankison was convicted on one count of civil rights abuse, when he sent five shots into Taylor’s window, which was covered with curtains and blackout blinds. The jury did not find Hankison guilty on count two, which charged him of depriving three neighbors of their constitutional rights as more shots were fired through a sliding glass door, also covered in blinds and a curtain.

Investigators said that none of the bullets fired from Hankison hit anyone. He testified that he believed there was a gun battle, as Taylor’s boyfriend fired his gun once after believing someone was breaking in. Hankinson believed that the officers in his group were in danger, and was “doing the right thing protecting his fellow officers,” as reported by CBS News. “Brett Hankison is charged with violating the constitutional rights of people he never met and never knew existed,” his attorney Don Malarcik stated in his closing remarks, according to AP News. 

At the trial, the Commander of LMPD’s SWAT unit, stated that he was in shock after finding out about Hankison shooting blindly into the home. Neighbors, including a young couple with a child, also testified that they were almost hit by the bullets. Law enforcement witnesses testified that they are trained to never fire their weapons to a target they cannot see. Officers at the scene voiced that Hankison violated their training and law enforcement principles, according to the Office of Public Affairs.

A statement from the LMPD was posted on X, stating that they respect the jury’s final verdict. “It is not lost on us that this event forever altered the fabric of our community, and we acknowledge the pain caused by the death of Breonna Taylor. Our officers are sworn to protect and serve the community, upholding the law with integrity and fairness.” They continued, “We, as an agency, strive to continuously improve. Since the events of 2020, LMPD has evolved and made significant improvements to our training, practices, and policies.” 

Hankison will be sentenced on March 12, 2025. The conviction against Hankison holds a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to CBS News.