US ex-officer sentenced to prison over Breonna Taylor raid – DW – 07/22/2025
A former Kentucky police officer was sentenced to 33 months in prison on Monday for violating Breonna Taylor's rights during the raid in which she was shot and killed five years ago.
Kentucky police officers shot and killed Taylor, a Black woman, in March 2020 after they used a controversial no-knock warrant at her home.
Taylor's death, along with the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota in May 2020 by a white police officer, sparked racial justice protests across the US and internationally.
Civil rights attorneys for Taylor's family welcomed prison time but had hoped for a tougher sentence.
"While today's sentence is not what we had hoped for — nor does it fully reflect the severity of the harm caused — it is more than what the Department of Justice sought," they said. "That, in itself, is a statement."
The court heard that Taylor and her boyfriend were sleeping when they heard a noise at the door around midnight.
Her boyfriend, believing it to be an intruder, fired his legally-owned gun, wounding a police officer. Police officers then opened fire, killing Taylor.
'A piece of me was taken from me that day," Taylor's mother Tanika Palmer told the court.
Brett Hankison is the only officer to be convicted in connection with the incident.
He fired 10 shots during the raid but didn't hit anyone.
US District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings said she was "startled" there weren't more people injured during the raid from Hankison's blind shots.
In addition to almost three years in prison, Hankison was also sentenced to three years of supervised release afterwards. The charges against him carried a maximum sentence of life in prison.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The Trump administration's Justice Department had recommended that Hankison be given no additional prison time beyond the one day he spent in jail at the time of his arrest.
"Hankison did not shoot Ms Taylor and is not otherwise responsible for her death," Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, wrote in a rare memo to the judge.
"Hankison did not wound her or anyone else at the scene that day, although he did discharge his duty weapon ten times blindly into Ms Taylor's home."
However, Jennings said this recommendation treated the shooting as "an inconsequential crime" and would minimize the jury's verdict from November, which found Hankison guilty of using excessive force.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
9 hours ago
- DW
Will Thailand-Cambodia border clash spiral into all-out war? – DW – 07/25/2025
Both sides are trading blame and downgrading diplomatic ties over deadly border clashes as the region potentially faces its most serious conflict in over a decade. Clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops continued throughout the night and into Friday morning after a massive escalation of tensions. On Thursday, Thailand's military said it carried out airstrikes on the Cambodian side of the border after it said the Cambodian army launched artillery shells over the Thai border. The clash began in the morning near the contested Ta Moan Thom Temple. Both sides said the other started the shooting. As of Friday afternoon, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said that he knew of "more than 20 deaths" as well as dozens of injuries. It is believed that most of these casualties are Thai civilians. Cambodian officials have not yet released any official figures on casualties. Since May, tensions have escalated between the Southeast Asian neighbors after a Cambodian solider was killed in an exchange of fire with Thai troops while digging trenches on the disputed frontier. Earlier this week, a landmine injured several Thai soldiers, and Bangkok immediately accused Cambodia of laying new landmines, while Phnom Penh argued that it was most likely one of many mines laid in the area in the 1980s. Thailand withdrew its ambassador from Phnom Penh and sent home Cambodia's envoy. Cambodia followed suit, and both sides downgraded diplomatic relations on July 23, a day before the latest clashes broke out. Whether the military strikes will continue and escalate into a wider war remains to be seen. "The armed conflict could be resolved very quickly; war is not remotely inevitable," Bradley Murg, senior research fellow at the Cambodia Institute for Cooperation and Peace, told DW. "However, the underlying tensions and resolution of the border issue will be deeply protracted," he added. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Cambodia and Thailand have both claimed sovereignty over several patches of territory for more than a century, following the French colonial authorities' redrawing of national borders in French Indochina. While both sides have attempted to resolve these issues through negotiation, military clashes broke out in 2008 over ownership of a temple near the town of Preah Vihear. The tensions lasted for five years, spiking in 2011 when several troops were killed in a skirmish. In 2013, the International Court of Justice ruled most of the territory in question belonged to Cambodia. The latest violence is the worst since 2011, and involves slightly different dimensions involving nationalist sentiment and internal Thai politics. In 2024, segments of the Thai and Cambodian public began to raise the issue of Koh Kood, an island officially part of Thailand but claimed by Cambodia. These revanchist claims then spread to several other border areas. After the Cambodian solider was killed digging trenches in May, both countries dispatched troops to the region and tightened border controls. A phone call in June between Cambodian Senate president Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was an attempt to ease tensions, but ended up escalating matters further. Hun Sen, for decades Cambodia's strongman prime minister, and still the de facto leader, leaked the phone call, during which Paetongtarn called him her "uncle" and made disparaging comments about the Thai military. These comments sparked a crisis within Thai politics, with a major party leaving the Paetongtarn coalition government. Eventually, the Constitutional Court intervened to suspend her for her actions. Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW that this conflict potentially "further boosts the power of the Thai army and gives them more influence over politics." Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Hun Sen's son, said on Thursday that "Cambodia has always adhered to resolving issues peacefully, but in this case, we have no choice but to respond with force against this armed invasion." A diplomatic source in Phnom Penh, who requested anonymity, told DW that the conflict poses the most significant challenge to Hun Manet since he assumed the role of prime minister from his father in 2023. If things go badly for Cambodia, the relatively inexperienced leader could take most of the blame. "The current flare-up between the two sides that has escalated into a military clash involving heavy weaponry may get worse before it can ease," Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a senior fellow at Thailand's Institute of Security and International Studies, a think tank, told DW. "The danger is that the Thai army has taken charge of border policy while Hun Sen appears intent on further provoking and agitating a weak and divided Thai government with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra under suspension for her compromising phone call with him, which was secretly recorded," he added. Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington, noted that a prolonged military conflict does not favor Cambodia. The terrain in the "Emerald Triangle" region favors Thailand, and the Thai military is a better-equipped force, Abuza told DW. A clear example of this came on Thursday morning, when Cambodia launched indiscriminate rocket and artillery strikes that seemingly hit only civilian targets. In comparison, Thailand has launched far more surgical air strikes. Thailand also has the upper hand because it has more ways to economically hurt Cambodia, Abuza added. "Thailand has more ways to punish Cambodia. Cambodia is far more dependent on exports to Thailand than the other way around. While Thailand needs Cambodian workers, Cambodia needs remittances more, and there are plenty of workers from Burma and Laos," he said. Moreover, Thailand can play a significant role in putting international pressure on Cambodia's illegal cyber scam industry. "Bangkok understands that this is the center of gravity for Hun Manet; it's these proceeds that allow him to maintain the Cambodian People's Party's (CPP) patronage network," Abuza said. As the current round of violence escalates, 100,000 people have fled border regions. The United Nations Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting later Friday. Malaysia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, has spoken with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Thai acting Prime Minister, Phumtham. "In our conversations, in Malaysia's capacity as ASEAN Chair for 2025, I appealed directly to both leaders for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further hostilities and to create space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution," Anwar said in a statement. Political scientist Thitinan said one offramp for the conflict could be third-party mediation, by either ASEAN or the UN. However, amid the acute violence, getting both sides to climb down with dialogue is a tough task. "The UN, the US or even China does not seem to have sufficient trust on both sides to facilitate a diplomatic way out," Thitinan said. "The military situation can worsen before any dialogue and compromise takes hold because both sides are driven by nationalist sentiments and cannot be seen to budge." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
12 hours ago
- DW
Hong Kong places bounty on 19 pro-democracy activists – DW – 07/25/2025
The police say that the "Hong Kong Parliament" group is guilty of crimes against national security. The pro-democracy group held an online vote to form a "legislature" aimed at "opposing one-party dictatorship." Hong Kong police on Friday announced a bounty for 19 overseas-based activists for their roles in a "subversive organization" aborad, accusing they are in violation of a national security law imposed by Beijing. The group — "Hong Kong Parliament" — aimed to promote self-determination and establish a "Hong Kong constitution," the police said in a statement, adding it was using illegal means to overthrow China's power over the region. They alleged the activists had conducted an election abroad and set up, or became members of the group. As a result, Hong Kong's court issued an arrest warrant for activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others. The authorities have announced a reward of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars ($25,500 or €21,700) for each of the 15 activists and 1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to the arrest of Yuen, Ho, Fok, and Choi. "The investigation is still ongoing. If necessary, police will offer bounties to hunt down more suspects in the case," police said. They also called upon the activists to return to the city and turn themselves in, instead of "making more mistakes." Police also warned that aiding or funding others to participate in the "Hong Kong Parliament" could be a criminal offense. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The pro-democracy group based in Canada held an online vote on their Facebook page to form a "legislature" aimed at "opposing one-party dictatorship and tyranny and pursuing Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong." "Hong Kong Parliament" group members are located in several countries, including Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Despite the name, the group's influence is unofficial and limited. According to the group's statement on June 30, its online vote drew 15,700 votes through a mobile application and online voting systems. China has systematically quashed political dissent and pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong by imposing a controversial national security law in 2020, despite mass protests. Several opposition leaders have fled the city while others were arrested and sentenced to prison time. This is now the fourth time Hong Kong's authorities have issued a bounty to caputre those in violation of the national security law. Previous instances led to criticism from Western nations but China retaliated calling it "interference." As of July 1, authorities had arrested some 333 people under the law. Just earlier this week, the police arrested an 18-year-old for writing "seditious words" on a toilet wall in a commercial building. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
20 hours ago
- DW
Trump admin sues New York over 'sanctuary city' policies – DW – 07/25/2025
New York is one of a number of US cities which prohibit local police from arresting people based on their immigration status. US President Donald Trump's administration sued New York City on Thursday over its "sanctuary city" policies, arguing they are obstructing the federal government's ability to enforce immigration law. New York is one of a number of US cities that prohibit local police from making arrests based on a person's immigration status. The sanctuary cities also limit their cooperation and information sharing with federal authorities. Trump has repeatedly criticized such policies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "New York City has released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "If New York City won't stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will." The lawsuit against New York City also names Mayor Eric Adams, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and numerous other city officials and departments. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said New York City "has been at the vanguard of interfering with enforcing our immigration laws. "Its efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement end now," Shumate said. The US president has been cracking down on undocumented migrants in the country, ramping up detentions and deportations. The Trump administration has previously sued other sanctuary cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as states like Colorado and Illinois for interfering with immigration enforcement. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The suit comes after the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer in a Manhattan park over the weekend. The officer was off duty and not in uniform at the time. The Trump administration on Monday blamed the city's sanctuary policies for the shooting. Authorities have said the two men apprehended in connection with the incident have been arrested a number of times since they entered the US illegally from the Dominican Republic in recent years. Trump has repeatedly said that undocumented migrants are disproportionately responsible for crime. During his presidential campaign, he likened them to "animals" and "monsters," and vowed to launch the biggest deportation drive in US history.
