Jury returns split verdict in Brett Hankison trial

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Jurors are going into overtime in the federal trial of former Louisville Metro Police Department detective Brett Hankison after telling the judge they were stuck earlier in the day.

Hankison is charged with violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor and her neighbors by shooting through closed windows in her apartment after his partner was shot and killed. Around lunchtime on Nov. 1, jurors sent a note to the judge saying they didn’t think they could reach a unanimous decision.

The jury returned a split verdict in court after several hours of deliberation.

Just after 7 p.m., jurors found Hankison not guilty of violating the neighbors’ civil rights before returning to deliberate on charges of violating Taylor’s civil rights.

After another two and a half hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict on that count.

Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, was emotional after the verdict.

“I’m grateful they decided to stay the course,” she said. “You know, after the first one, I think we were all so beaten that no one knew where to turn or what to think, but they assured me that they weren’t going to give up and that they would be here as long as I wanted to be here. And they did just that.

“Until you know what it’s like to have your child killed for 1,694 days and no one is held accountable, I don’t think anyone can understand what it’s like unless you’re knee-deep in it.” – she added.

Hankison is being held on bail pending sentencing.

Before the judge reads Allen’s so-called charge to the jury. He invites the jury to come back and continue their deliberations. She also advised them to re-read the instructions.

Discussions began Wednesday afternoon. Jurors in Hankison’s 2023 federal trial also indicted Allen, but ultimately were unable to reach a decision and the judge declared a mistrial.

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