Mistrial for officer who fired during Breonna Taylor raid as jury deadlocked

Brett Hankinson faced federal civil rights charges over excessive use of force but did not fire fatal shots in 2020 Kentucky operation

A federal judge declared a mistrial on Thursday afternoon after a jury deadlocked on civil rights charges against a former Louisville police officer who fired stray bullets in the raid that left Breonna Taylor dead.

Brett Hankison was charged with using excessive force that violated the rights of Breonna Taylor, her boyfriend and her nextdoor neighbors. Hankison fired 10 shots into Taylor's window and a glass door after officers came under fire during the flawed drug warrant search on 13 March 2020. Some of his shots flew into a neighboring apartment, but none of them struck anyone.