In a controversial move, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice is urging a federal judge to sentence former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison to just one day in prison after his federal civil rights conviction related to the botched 2020 police raid that killed Breonna Taylor.
Hankison is scheduled for sentencing on July 21, 2025, and faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. However, the Justice Department’s sentencing memorandum, recently obtained by PEOPLE, recommends that Hankison be sentenced to a single day of imprisonment, which would amount to no additional jail time because he would receive credit for time already served during his initial arrest and court appearance.
DOJ Argues Hankison Not Directly Responsible for Taylor’s Death
According to the filing, Trump’s DOJ contends that although Hankison “was part of the team executing the warrant,” he did not shoot Taylor directly and “is not otherwise responsible for her death.”
The Justice Department notes that Hankison’s actions—firing 10 rounds blindly into Taylor’s apartment and into a neighboring unit—warrant condemnation but do not justify a lengthy prison sentence.
Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June 2020 after his actions during the no-knock raid drew national outrage. The raid targeted Taylor’s apartment in a narcotics investigation centered on her ex-boyfriend, though Taylor herself had no criminal record. Her boyfriend, believing intruders were breaking in, opened fire, prompting officers to return fire and fatally shoot the 26-year-old EMT worker.
Federal Jury Found Civil Rights Violation, Despite Prior Acquittal
While Hankison was acquitted in Kentucky state court, a federal jury found him guilty last November of violating Taylor’s civil rights and endangering her neighbors by recklessly discharging his weapon.
During the trial, prosecutors revealed that Hankison fired into Taylor’s home through a covered window and a sliding glass door without a clear line of sight, sending bullets into the apartment of a pregnant woman and her sleeping child next door.
Despite this, the DOJ’s filing states:
“The government respects the jury’s verdict, which will almost certainly ensure that defendant Hankison never serves as a law enforcement officer again and will also likely ensure that he never legally possesses a firearm again.”
Pre-Sentencing Report Calls for 11–14 Years
In stark contrast, the U.S. Probation Office submitted a pre-sentencing recommendation calling for Hankison to serve between 11.25 and 14 years in prison, citing the severity and recklessness of his conduct.
Legal observers say the DOJ’s leniency recommendation could set off a wave of public backlash and renewed scrutiny over how federal prosecutors handle cases involving police misconduct.
Breonna Taylor’s Family Speaks Out
Following Hankison’s conviction last year, Tamika Palmer, Taylor’s mother, said the jury’s decision gave her some measure of justice:
“Breonna deserved justice, and I thank the jurors for choosing to do the right thing.”
However, this week’s DOJ filing has been viewed by many as an attempt to undermine the jury’s verdict and minimize accountability.
Legal Community Reacts
Civil rights advocates and legal analysts say the Trump administration’s sentencing request raises serious concerns about federal priorities in police accountability cases.
“This recommendation sends the wrong message about the value of Black lives and the seriousness of civil rights violations,” one legal expert stated.
If the judge accepts the DOJ’s recommendation, Hankison would walk free immediately after sentencing, despite a jury finding him criminally responsible for violating a citizen’s constitutional rights with deadly consequences.
