Final week, we reported that the MAGA-fied U.S. Division of “Justice” really useful that former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison ought to solely obtain a 24-hour sentence after he was discovered responsible final November of 1 rely of civil rights abuse in reference to the violent dying of Breonna Taylor. On Monday, a federal decide determined to disregard the political prying of the DOJ and sentenced Hankison to simply below three years in jail for utilizing extreme pressure throughout the lethal, bullet-ridden raid on Taylor’s dwelling.
From CNN:
US District Choose Rebecca Grady Jennings, in sentencing Hankison, mentioned no jail time “will not be acceptable” and would reduce the jury’s verdict from November. Jennings mentioned she was “startled” there weren’t extra individuals injured within the raid from Hankison’s blind pictures.
She sentenced Hankison, 49, to 33 months in jail for the conviction of use of extreme pressure with three years of supervised probation to comply with the jail time period. He won’t report on to jail. The US Bureau of Prisons will decide the place and when he begins his sentence, Jennings mentioned.
The decide, who presided over two of Hankison’s trials, expressed disappointment with a sentencing advice by federal prosecutors final week, saying the Justice Division was treating Hankison’s actions as “an inconsequential crime” and mentioned a few of its arguments have been “incongruous and inappropriate.”
Hankison is the primary and solely ex-officer to obtain jail time for crimes associated to Taylor’s dying, together with the officers who conspired to falsify an affidavit to acquire the search warrant for the 26-year-old’s dwelling within the first place. It’s bare-minimum justice that’s lengthy overdue.
In reality, Taylor’s mom, Tamika Palmer, doesn’t seem to imagine her daughter obtained any true justice in any respect. In response to CNN, she informed reporters she was disillusioned that the brand new federal prosecutors assigned to the case weren’t pushing for a lengthier sentence, noting that throughout the sentencing listening to, lead federal prosecutor Rob Keenan agreed with Hankison’s protection attorneys on arguments that might have diminished Hankison’s sentence.
“There was no prosecution in there for us,” Palmer mentioned. “Brett had his personal protection group. I didn’t know he received a second one.”
Federal prosecutors wrote of their sentencing memo that although Hankison’s “response in these fraught circumstances was unreasonable given the good thing about hindsight, that unreasonable response didn’t kill or wound Breonna Taylor, her boyfriend, her neighbors, defendant’s fellow officers, or anybody else.” Choose Jennings appeared to agree that officers have been prompted to shoot after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired the primary shot, however mentioned “that doesn’t permit officers to then do what they need after which be excused.” (To be clear, Walker, who was in the end cleared of any wrongdoing, informed officers he didn’t hear any cops announce themselves earlier than breaking by way of Taylor’s door, and that he solely fired a shot as a result of he thought the house was being invaded.)
As we famous beforehand, the identical Justice Division that assigned these new prosecutors and really useful primarily no jail time for Hankison determined in Might to finish Biden-era police-accountability agreements with Minneapolis and Louisville that got here on account of intensive investigations following the police killings of Taylor and George Floyd. As a result of the DOJ below President Donald Trump has made it its mission to undermine any social justice progress, particularly relating to Black victims, and Trump has used his authority to pardon Jan. 6 rioters and cops who unjustly killed a Black man previously, we now have to fret that he would possibly get away the pardon pen for Hankison. However we’ll cross that bridge if and once we come to it.
Anyway, whereas Hankison’s sentencing listening to was happening contained in the courtroom, 4 protesters have been being arrested outdoors, together with Taylor’s aunt.
From the Louisville Courier Journal:
Bianca Austin, aunt of Breonna Taylor, was amongst 4 individuals arrested July 21 outdoors of the Gene Snyder Federal Constructing in downtown Louisville as protestors awaited the sentencing of ex-LMPD detective Brett Hankison.
In video captured by The Courier Journal, Austin was seen standing within the intersection of Sixth Road and Broadway as vehicles continued to attempt to transfer down the road. Austin is listed as an inmate on the Louisville Metro Division of Corrections as of about 5 p.m. July 21 and is charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing a freeway, court docket data present.
Police responded to the world after getting experiences of protesters blocking visitors, in line with Austin’s arrest quotation. The Louisville Metro Police Actual Time Crime Heart, which was monitoring the scenario with video cameras within the space, additionally knowledgeable officers that a number of individuals had jumped on a crimson PT Cruiser driving by way of the intersection.
Officers declare that after they arrived on the scene, Austin was seen in the course of the intersection, “clapping her palms” and blocking automobiles. Additionally they declare she approached officers whereas “clapping and yelling of their face.”
Sonja Wilde-de Vries, who was outdoors the courthouse to witness what occurred, had a unique story to inform than that of the officers. She acknowledged that a number of individuals, together with Austin, have been standing within the intersection, however she says officers instantly rushed in and began making arrests as an alternative of giving them time to disperse.
“They simply swooped in and instantly went for Bianca,” Wilde-de Vries informed the Courier Journal. “They didn’t give individuals an opportunity to get off the road.”
Austin is scheduled to seem in court docket for an arraignment on July 22.
In an ideal world, Hankison wouldn’t be the one officer concerned in Breonna Taylor’s dying who obtained some semblance of accountability outdoors of merely being fired. Then once more, in an ideal world, she would nonetheless be right here.
Relaxation properly, Breonna.
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