Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) – A Kentucky jury acquitted a White former detective who attempted to endanger the neighbors of Breonna Taylor in a botched raid at night that claimed the Black victim’s life. The decision comes after a year of controversy in America.

The only person charged was Detective Brett Hankison (45), whose stray shots struck a nearby apartment in Louisville as he executed a “no-knock” search warrant.

According to a Court TV reporter, Hankison was heard weeping behind his mask while the verdict was read out three times. One for each of their neighbors.

The reporter stated that Taylor’s relatives were also in the gallery and wept.

Following the hearing of closing arguments, on Thursday after a one week trial ended, the Jefferson County Circuit Court jury deliberated for approximately three hours.

Taylor’s death at 26 was an unarmed emergency medical technician. This was just one of three cases that led to a summer protest against police violence and racial injustice two years ago. It was during the country’s still-new coronavirus epidemic.

Other cases led to guilty verdicts in two other murder cases in 2020, George Floyd in Minneapolis (NYSE:) and Ahmaud Abery in Brunswick(NYSE:), Georgia.

After Black activists and victims claimed their protests against racial abuse were ignored long before the advent cellphone video, these convictions provided some measure of justice.

Taylor’s March 13th 2020 death initially received little attention, but it was soon made famous by Floyd being pinned to his neck in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. The death of Floyd was captured by a passer-by and broadcast around the globe.

Video of Arbery’s February 2020 death was released around that time. He was chased and killed by three men from Brunswick, Georgia.

Derek Chauvin (the Minneapolis officer charged with murdering Floyd) was found guilty in a trial in the state. Chauvin has pleaded guilty for civil rights.

Three civilians were charged with Arbery’s murder. They were found guilty of murder during a state trial in 2013 and federal hate crime charges in October 2013.

Taylor was shot and killed by two white officers. A grand jury cleared them but in Taylor’s case, Hankison was arrested for endangering neighboring apartments. The grand jury later stated that Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron had only brought Hankison the wanton-endangerment charges.

In 2020, Taylor’s family received a $12 Million settlement for wrongful death from Louisville.

Hankison was called to testify in his defense, and choked up repeatedly while wiping away a tear.

Taylor’s boyfriend shot one round from a handgun after police entered the house. It struck an officer in his leg. This officer fired 22 times at the second officer, who returned fire.

Hankison stated that he misunderstood his officers to be under heavy firing from a gun, and so, he fired 10 shots through the sliding glass door, returning fire from outside.

Hankison stated, “It seemed to me that they were being executed using this rifle.” The rifle could not be found.

Stew Mathews was Hankison’s attorney. He stated that it came down the reason Hankison opened fire. Hankison believed he was protecting colleagues.

The police wanted to raid the house in connection with an investigation into drug dealing in which Taylor’s ex was suspect.