Brett Hankison, Officer Who Un-alived Breonna Taylor Receives 33‑Month Sentence

Brett Hankison, the only officer convicted in connection to the fatal 2020 raid on Breonna Taylor’s apartment, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison.

What We Know:

• Hankison was found guilty in November 2024 of violating Taylor’s civil rights—by firing ten rounds into her home during the March 2020 Louisville raid—though none hit her.
• On Monday, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings sentenced him to 33 months in prison and supervised release, rejecting the Justice Department’s surprising recommendation for just “one day” behind bars.
• The DOJ memo, signed by politically appointed officials, argued that Hankison “did not shoot Ms. Taylor and is not otherwise responsible for her death” — drawing widespread protest from civil rights advocates.
• The case was seen as a key measure of federal accountability; Taylor’s death sparked national outrage amid broader calls for police reform.
• Hankison’s colleagues weren’t prosecuted: one detective was convicted in 2022 for falsifying the warrant; others faced no charges.

With this 33-month sentence—the first and only conviction directly tied to Taylor’s death—Judge Jennings affirmed the gravity of the civil rights violation despite controversial DOJ pushback.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated here.