Former Kentucky officer Brett Hankison jailed for three years over Breonna Taylor's death
Ms Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was shot in her hallway by two officers after her boyfriend fired from inside the apartment, striking an officer in the leg on March 13, 2020.
Louisville police used a drug warrant to forcefully enter Taylor's apartment shortly after midnight, but found no drugs or cash inside.
Brett Hankison, who fired ten shots during the raid but didn't hit anyone, was the only officer on the scene charged in the woman's death.
He is the first person sentenced in the case that rocked the city of Louisville and spawned weeks of street protests over police brutality that year.
A federal judge on Monday sentenced him to 33 months in prison for using excessive force, with three years of supervised probation to follow the jail term.
The US Bureau of Prisons will determine where and when he starts his sentence.
US District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings rebuffed federal prosecutors' recommendation of no prison time for the defendant, saying the Justice Department was treating Hankison's actions as 'an inconsequential crime'.
Jennings said she was 'startled' that more people were not injured in the raid from Hankison's blind shots.
A statement from Ms Taylor's family said: 'While today's sentence is not what we had hoped for – nor does it fully reflect the severity of the harm caused – it is more than what the Department of Justice sought. That, in itself, is a statement."
Hankison's shots the night of the botched drug raid flew through the walls of Taylor's apartment into a neighbouring home, narrowly missing a family.
A separate jury deadlocked on federal charges against Hankison in 2023, and he was acquitted on state charges of wanton endangerment in 2022.
Federal prosecutors had argued that multiple factors - including that the 49-year-old's two other trials ended with no convictions - should greatly reduce the potential punishment. They also argued he would be susceptible to abuse in prison, and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Ms Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, said she was disappointed that the new federal prosecutors assigned to the case were not pushing for a tougher sentence.
'There was no prosecution in there for us,' Palmer said after the sentencing. 'Brett had his own defence team, I didn't know he got a second one.'
Three other ex-Louisville police officers have been charged with crafting a falsified warrant, but have not gone to trial. None were at the scene when Ms Taylor was shot.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
Ghislaine Maxwell quietly moved out of Florida prison while seeking Trump pardon
Jeffrey Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell has been quietly transferred from a Florida federal prison to a lower-security facility in Texas as she seeks a pardon from President Donald Trump. Maxwell's move out of Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee was confirmed by the Bureau of Prisons on Friday, amid her push for a deal to speak on the late Epstein and be released. 'We can confirm, Ghislaine Maxwell is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) Bryan in Bryan, Texas,' stated BOP inmate locator official Benjamin O'Cone. The reason Maxwell, 63, was moved was not immediately clear. Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus also confirmed that his client was sent to the Texas facility but said 'we have no other comment', according to USA Today. The disgraced British socialite in 2022 was sentenced to 20 years for helping convicted sex offender Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. About a month after her sentencing, she was transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to FCI Tallahassee, which is a 'low security' prison for men and women. FCP Bryan is a 'minimum security' camp only housing women. Maxwell was interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche of the Justice Department for two straight days last week. She 'answered every single question' and 'never invoked a privilege, never declined to answer', Markus said. The Justice Department brokered the interview despite asking the US Supreme Court to reject Maxwell's appeal of her conviction. The Trump administration continues to face criticism after the Justice Department and FBI last month said there is no incriminating Epstein client list, breaking from an earlier promise to disclose the documents. More Trending Trump has not ruled out pardoning Maxwell. 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I haven't thought about,' he said a week ago. Markus said of a possible commutation for Maxwell: 'The president said earlier he has the power to do so, we hope he exercises that power in the right way.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: What is 'flysky', the new lethal drug that could be the new fentanyl MORE: White House reveals £151,000,000 plans for a new ballroom MORE: Full list of Donald Trump's new tariffs set to come into force next week
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Ghislaine Maxwell disappears from prison after push for Presidential pardon
The convicted teen sex trafficker, known as Jeffrey Epstein's 'Madam' has reportedly vanished from the US Bureau of Prisons custody register and has been transferred to cushier federal prison in Texas. Ghislaine Maxwell has disappeared from prison has she ramps up her efforts to secure a pardon from Donald Trump. The convicted teen sex trafficker, known as Jeffrey Epstein's 'Madam' has reportedly vanished from the US Bureau of Prisons custody register and has been transferred to cushier federal prison in Texas. Maxwell, who groomed girls for her paedophile ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein, has been serving a 20-year sentence at the time low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, The Mirror Reports. However, as of today, her official prison status is listed as"Not in BOP custody" - despite no public announcement of her release or scheduled transfer. Maxwell, though, has been moved to the cushy Federal Prison Camp Bryan, a minimum-security facility in southeast Texas known for less restrictive conditions. The prison is home to Elizabeth Holmes, the American biotechnology entrepreneur and convicted fraudster and Jennifer Shah an American television personality and former cast member of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. The transfer comes just days after Maxwell had met privately with officials from the Department of Justice, including Trump's Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, as part of a high-stakes negotiation for leniency in exchange for information. Maxwell is said to be offering her cooperation on the wider Epstein investigation, and her legal team has openly floated the prospect of a full pardon or a commuted sentence from Trump, who is currently battling mounting pressure over the release of files tied to Epstein's sprawling trafficking network. Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, confirmed that the 63-year-old is prepared to 'testify openly and honestly ' before Congress but only if she is granted immunity. 'If her conditions are not met, she will invoke her Fifth Amendment right and decline to testify,' Markus said in a statement. The House Oversight Committee, which has already subpoenaed Maxwell and has set a deposition date of 11 August, has rejected her immunity plea. Her expected testimony could mark the first time she speaks publicly under oath since her 2022 conviction for luring underage girls into Epstein's orbit. The timing of her transfer, disappearance from the federal prison system's public records, and sudden re-emergence in Washington's political crosshairs has raised eyebrows among critics, who fear a backroom deal may be underway. Maxwell's legal manoeuvring also comes as Trump was directly asked this week about the possibility of granting her a pardon. 'Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon,' he replied. 'But nobody's approached me with it.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Maxwell's meetings with the Department of Justice are believed to be part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to quell outrage over its handling of the Epstein case. Despite repeated promises from Trump and his allies, including a campaign vow to 'release all the Epstein files', key documents remain sealed, including any list of alleged co-conspirators or clients. The secrecy has infuriated survivors, lawmakers, and even members of Trump's own party, with renewed calls in recent weeks for full transparency and the unsealing of over 100,000 pages of federal investigative material. Maxwell's sudden re-emergence as a central player in the scandal threatens to deepen the crisis, as victims' advocates argue that any leniency would be a grave injustice. 'She is a convicted predator,' one Epstein victim told the Mirror. "To even entertain a pardon is to spit in the face of every survivor who came forward.' Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 for trafficking minors for Epstein between 1994 and 2004. Prosecutors described her as 'an integral part of the abuse,' helping to recruit, groom, and exploit underage girls on behalf of Epstein and his wealthy associates. Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial - a death officially ruled a suicide but still mired in controversy.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
MIKEY SMITH: 8 unhinged Donald Trump moments as he moves nuclear subs in response to Russia threat
After a quiet few days recovering from all the golfing, Donald Trump's White House has been engulfed in a flurry of activity today After a quiet few days recovering from all the golfing, Donald Trump's White House has been engulfed in a flurry of activity today. The most eye-opening moves are Epstein's fixer Ghislaine Maxwell getting moved to a cushier prison - and Trump moving nuclear subs around in response to threats from Russia. And that's before we even get onto the terrible jobs report, the seven-day tariff reprieve and the registered sex offender Trump invited to the White House last night. Here's all the things that have happened in Trump World over the last 24 hours that you need to know about. Everything is fine. 1. Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a cushier prison Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years for sex trafficking linked to dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein has been moved to a lower security prison in Texas. The Mirror revealed she'd disappeared from the US Bureau of Prisons custody register and moved to the lower security Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Bryan, Texas. The move, which has not been officially explained, comes a week after she sat down for two days of interviews behind closed doors with Todd Blanche, the Deputy Attorney General and Donald Trump's former personal lawyer. What was discussed at the meetings has not been officially revealed. 2. Trump moved nuclear subs in response to Russia threat Earlier today, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened the United States with war, saying: "Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country." Medvedev, who now chairs Russia's Security Council, is known for his, shall we say, apocalyptic rhetoric. Still, Trump chose to respond - announcing on Truth Social that he had ordered two nuclear submarines "to be positioned in the appropriate regions". Trump added: "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances." 3. Trump invited a registered sex offender to the White House and he had no idea why he was there Donald Trump last night launched a new sports commission to reintroduce the "presidential fitness test", a series of physical challenges for kids which was in place for decades until 12 years ago. It was replaced by Barack Obama, with the Presidential Youth Fitness Programme, which focused on overall health rather than athleticism. The test had been criticised for sharing children in front of their peers, and was often described as 'embarrassing,' 'humiliating' and 'traumatizing'. But hey, Trump's bringing that back. And who better to launch it than former New York Giants linebacker Laurence "LT" Taylor, who was arrested in 2010 for the statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and patronising a sex worker. The girl told investigators that her pimp commanded her to tell Taylor that she was 19. He was sentenced to six years probation in March 2011, and is registered as a low-risk sex offender. He has twice been arrested for failing to register a new address, most recently in July last year. Speaking at the event, Taylor said he was "proud to be part of this team". He said to Trump: "I don't know what we're supposed to be doing but I'm here to serve, I'm here to serve you." 4. Virginia Giuffre 'wasn't was preyed upon, her brother says The family of Virginia Giuffre responded with shock to Trump's claim that she had been "stolen" from him by Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said on Tuesday that Ms Giuffre, who is alleged to have been recruited by Maxwell aged 16, while working at the President's Mar A Lago club, was one of a number of his former staff who had been "stolen" from him by Epstein - leading to their falling out. Her brother, Sky Roberts, said at a news conference earlier: "I think we were shocked by it. Especially the use of the term "stolen." Because she's not an object. She's a person. Someone who was recruited at Mar-a-Lago--his property. "It just kind of makes us wonder… how much he knew." In a statement, the family said: "We and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this." 5. TACO strikes again Trump signed an executive order slapping tariffs on many of America's trading partners. But despite repeatedly saying all remaining tariffs for countries that had not signed a deal with the US would take effect from today, the 66 countries listed in the order will face their tariffs - from next week. It came after a flurry of tariff-related activity in recent days, as the White House announced agreements with various nations and blocs ahead of the president's self-imposed deadline, when he previous threatened sweeping new levies would kick in worldwide. For countries who had not yet reached a deal with the U.S. prior to Friday, this is potentially welcome news. But it's also injected a new dose of uncertainty for consumers and businesses still wondering what's going to happen and when. Meanwhile, he slapped Canada with a 35% goods tariff from today - saying they had been insufficiently helpful on tackling drug trafficking. And on his other border, he extended trade negotiations with Mexico for another 90 days. 6. WHERE'S MY PEACE PRIZE???? In case anyone didn't know Donald Trump really wants a Nobel Peace Prize, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, made his views abundantly clear. At a press briefing, she claimed Trump had brokered "about one peace deal or ceasefire per month during his six months in office." She added: "It's well past time the President was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize." And she listed the crises he'd allegedly been central in avoiding. Weirdly, among the list of "peace deals" he's reached, she listed one between Serbia and Kosovo, where no such deal has been agreed, beyond Trump threatening both with no trade talks if they started fighting. In fact, with the exception of Israel and Iran, that's been his strategy for "ending" most of the conflicts listed by Leavitt. We'll see how long that works for. Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 7. The FBI 'redacted Trump's name' from Epstein Files We already knew a 1,000-strong FBI team tasked with assessing whether the bureau's files on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation could be published. And previous reporting had claimed Trump's name was, indeed, in the files - and he had been informed of that fact. What we didn't know, until Bloomberg published a story this afternoon, is that the FBI team had gone through the process of redacting his name, and the names of other high profile people, from the files - before the bureau announced there would be "no further disclosure" of the files. 8. US Job growth has returned to Trump 1 levels Revised job market numbers revealed June was the weakest month of job growth since December 2020 - the last month of Trump's first presidency. Some 258,000 fewer jobs were gained in May and June than had originally been reported. Which is not super surprising, as for most of those months American businesses were in the grip of Trump's tariff flailing. The numbers for the month of July was a disappointing 73,000 - much lower than the 110,000 that had been predicted. Here's the moment that was revealed on Fox News....
