When Brett Hankison—the former detective for the Louisville Metro Police who was found guilty of violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights during a botched 2020 raid—gets sentenced next week, federal prosecutors have urged that he not be given any further time behind bars.
The U.S. Department of Justice recommended U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings sentence Hankison to one day in prison—time already served—as well as three years of supervised release and a $100 court fee in a sentencing brief submitted on Wednesday.
The proposal comes after jurors found Hankison guilty of using excessive force during the deadly raid but cleared him of putting Taylor’s neighbors in danger during his third federal trial. Prosecutors said, “There is no need for a prison sentence to protect the public,” pointing to Hankison’s mental anguish, lack of past criminal history and the likelihood that he will never work in law enforcement again.
Although Hankison was found guilty of violating Taylor’s constitutional rights, he was not charged with her death. Hankison fired ten rounds randomly into Taylor’s apartment through a glass door and covered windows. His gunfire also put other people at danger, including a child in a nearby unit, the prosecutors said.
However, prosecutors have contended that although Hankison’s actions were careless, they did not do any harm and took place in a chaotic setting that was sparked by Taylor’s boyfriend shooting at officers he thought were intruders. The emotional toll of three trials, Hankison’s apparent PTSD and the public attention that has made him a national figure of controversy were all major mitigating circumstances cited in the DOJ document.
Prosecutors also cited the scene’s “extreme provocation” and implied that his actions were motivated by a fear for the safety of his fellow policemen. The choice to request leniency is already being questioned, particularly by those who believe that Taylor’s passing is a sign of structural unfairness.
Her death, which occurred during a no-knock warrant execution connected to a drug investigation that was aimed at another person, provoked protests and international indignation. The sole officer charged in relation to the actual firing from the raid was Hankison.
Although they have not yet been put on trial, three additional cops are charged with the faulty affidavit that resulted in the warrant.
In addition to occasionally criticizing its own evidence, the Justice Department memo—which was notably signed by political appointees rather than career prosecutors—questioned whether the charges should have been filed and reiterated that Hankison did not shoot Taylor.
After reaching a $12 million settlement with Taylor’s family in 2020 over a wrongful death lawsuit, the city of Louisville has since enacted extensive police reforms. However, the DOJ’s suggested punishment would rekindle debates about whether law enforcement can ever be held genuinely responsible.
Hankison will be sentenced on Monday.
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This article appears in Jul 4-31, 2025.
