Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American medical worker, was killed on March 13, 2020, after police officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) forcibly entered her home. Mistaking the police for intruders, Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot, striking officer Jonathan Mattingly. Mattingly and two other LMPD officers—Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove—opened fire. It was determined that Cosgrove fired the fatal shot to Taylor and that none of Hankison's shots hit anyone. Taylor's family was awarded $12 million in compensation and was given a promise the LMPD would reform its practices.
The killing of Taylor by police officers, and the initial lack of charges against the LMPD officers involved, sparked numerous protests with supporters adopting the motto #SayHerName. These protests against police brutality and racism were concurrent with the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement across the United States. The civil unrest was exacerbated when the grand jury chose not to indict Mattingly or Cosgrove—the officers who shot Taylor. Prosecutors said their use of force was justified as Walker fired first. Some jurors accused Attorney General Daniel Cameron of covering up what happened.
On August 23, 2022, Officer Kelly Goodlett, who was not present during the raid, pled guilty to charges related to obtaining the warrant used. As of July 2025, her sentencing had been set for February 4, 2026.
On November 1, 2024, a federal jury found Brett Hankison guilty of depriving Taylor of her civil rights for using excessive force. On July 21, 2025, he was sentenced to 2+3⁄4 years in prison, as well as three years of supervised release.
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