One Officer Indicted in Breonna Taylor Case
Former Louisville police Detective Brett Hankison was charged with three felony counts of wanton endangerment for shootings in apartments neighboring those of Breonna Taylor’s.
Unfortunately, none of the other officers involved in the late-night raid on March 13 have been charged, and no charges were brought directly relating to Taylor’s death.
So they charged the ex-cop by not technically charging him. This is not justice. #breonnataylorwasmurdered #arrestthecopswhokilledbreonnataylor #justiceforbreonnataylor https://t.co/sMr4lEOM52
— Black Culture+Modern Streetwear (@knowdefinition) September 23, 2020
Hankison, who was fired in June, shot Taylor ten times “wantonly and blindly,” according to his termination letter. The letter also stated that he showed “extreme indifference to the value of human life.” He faces a maximum of 5 years in prison and is being held on a $15,000 bond. The other two officers have not been fired from the Louisville Police department.
Wanton’s behavior, according to Kentucky law, occurs when someone is “aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk” that something negative will happen — a risk “of such nature and degree that disregard thereof constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation.”
In a tweet released shortly after the jury’s decision was made public, Civil Rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Taylor family, called the charges “outrageous and offensive.”
Jefferson County Grand Jury indicts former ofc. Brett Hankison with 3 counts of Wanton Endangerment in 1st Degree for bullets that went into other apartments but NOTHING for the murder of Breonna Taylor. This is outrageous and offensive! pic.twitter.com/EarmBAhhuf
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) September 23, 2020
After the announcement, the Louisville Metro Police Department set up barricades downtown and canceled any requests for time-off for police employees.
Taylor’s death, along with the death of others by police like George Floyd and Daniel Prude, has caused a global uprising among protesters and celebrities alike for police reform and for awareness of racial injustices. Many have called for the officers involved in Taylor’s case to be arrested and charged with more serious offenses. Hopefully, justice for Taylor will soon prevail.
