LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Fired LMPD officer Brett Hankison wants his trial to take place outside of Jefferson County. Hankison faces three counts of wanton endangerment stemming from the three shots investigators say he fired blindly into a neighboring apartment during the raid on Breonna Taylor’s home in March last year.
What You Need To Know
- Former LMPD Officer Brett Hankison is requesting a change of venue for his upcoming trial
- Hankison faces three counts of wanton endangerment for shots he allegedly fired blindly into neighboring apartments during a raid that killed Breonna Taylor
- Hankison's lawyer said an unbiased jury would be impossible to find in Jefferson County because of the publicity around Breonna Taylor's death
- The change of venue hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday
Hankison’s lawyer, Stew Matthews, told Spectrum News 1 he does not think they could find an unbiased jury in Jefferson County because of the publicity around Breonna Taylor’s death.
A motion to the court reads in part, “he cannot obtain a fair and impartial trial of his case in Jefferson County because of the extensive adverse publicity, the prejudicial and inflammatory billboards about hi that have been erected and the protests and civil unrest that have occurred in the aftermath of the incident leading to the indictment of Defendant.”
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is prosecuting this case. Spectrum News 1 reached out to his office. A spokesperson replied saying they have no comment ahead of this hearing.
That hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday. We will update this story after that hearing to let you know what the judge decides.
Hankison’s trial is set for August 31.