What’s the right punishment when a police raid ends in the death of an innocent woman? For Brett Hankison, it’s 33 months behind bars.
The former Kentucky officer was convicted of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights—firing blindly during a 2020 raid that left her dead. Yet none of his bullets hit her.
Still, prosecutors argued he recklessly endangered lives.
He did so by shooting into a neighboring apartment where a child and pregnant woman were sleeping.
Hankison’s sentencing followed political whiplash. The Biden-era Justice Department brought charges.
But under newly re-elected Donald Trump? His team pushed for just one day in prison.
“Every American should be outraged,” said Taylor’s family lawyers.
Even Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, said the judge “did the best she could,” but slammed federal prosecutors for soft-pedaling the case.
What Changed?
Trump’s revamped Justice Department, now led by civil rights chief Harmeet Dhillon, has started walking back police reform efforts.
Cases against departments in Louisville and Minneapolis are being dropped.
Internal investigations into misconduct in other cities? Quietly shelved.
Meanwhile, over 70% of civil rights lawyers at DOJ have reportedly left since Trump’s return.
Justice delayed? Maybe. Justice denied? Depends who you ask.
But for many, 33 months feels like a footnote in a much bigger story.
