A grand jury has decided the police officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor will not face murder charges, but indicted one of them on minor charges of wanton endangerment.
Officer Brett Hankinson will not be charged with murder or manslaughter, but instead faces wanton endangerment charges. No charges were filed against his colleagues Myles Cosgrove and Jonathan Mattingly.
The charges against Hankinson relate to the bullets which went into neighbouring apartments and are not related to the shots which killed Breonna Taylor.
The decision is devastating news to Taylor’s friends and supporters who hoped all three officers involved in the shooting would face murder charges.
26-year-old Taylor was murdered in her home on March 13 after being shot by police who burst into her apartment while her and her boyfriend were sleeping during a mistaken drugs raid. Officers used a “no knock” warrant, usually used in drug cases, which enabled them to enter her apartment without announcing themselves.
The police officers didn’t find any drugs in Taylor’s home and her death sparked months of protests across the city. Protestors across the globe also demanded justice for Breonna in the Black Lives Matter protests towards the start of summer.
News of Hankinson’s criminal charges come after the family of Breonna Taylor received a $12m settlement from the city of Louisville.