Watch live witness testimony in the player above.Brett Hankison’s trial begins Wednesday, nearly two years after the raid that killed Breonna Taylor.>> Follow Mark Vanderhoff on Twitter for live updates. Opening statements started just after 9:30 a.m. in Jefferson County Circuit Court. Judge Ann Bailey Smith began by talking to jurors, then special prosecutor Barbara Whaley began speaking.She reminded the jurors that “This is not a case to decide who is responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor.” The defense attorney put it similarly and succinctly during jury selection on Tuesday.”Breonna Taylor has nothing to do with the charges against Brett Hankison this morning, and yet, she has everything to do with it,” said Stew Mathews, as he questioned prospective jurors. Hankison is facing three counts of wanton endangerment, but those charges are not for Taylor’s death. They are for shots fired into a neighboring apartment with three people inside.The first witness in Hankison’s trial is Cody Etherton, who lived in that apartment with Chelsey Napper (who was pregnant at the time) and Napper’s 5-year-old.Etherton and his family are suing LMPD, Metro Louisville, Hankison and other officers over the incident.Reviewing photos of where the bullets struck his apartment, Etherton says, “One or two more inches and I would have been shot. My son would have never got to meet me and I would have never met my son.” After him, an 8-year veteran with LMPD Sgt. Kyle Meany took the stand. This story will be updated throughout the day.More background on the caseHankison was one of three LMPD officers serving a no-knock search warrant on Taylor’s apartment on March 20, 2022. When they entered, Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker – who says he did not know the men entering his home were police officers – fired a single shot.Everything you need to know: Brett Hankison heads to trialThe officers fired back and Taylor, who was behind Walker, was hit six times, police say. The bullet that killed her was fired by Myles Cosgrove, another officer who was present that night, according to the investigation that ensued.Cosgrove is scheduled to appear as a witness in Hankison’s trial. The other officer present that night, former LMPD detective Jonathan Mattingly, has said he will plead the Fifth Amendment and refuse to testify, citing the pending U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the LMPD.In all, more than 30 witnesses are slated to testify in a trial expected to last two to three weeks.”The commonwealth has the burden of proof in a criminal case and we gladly accept that burden of proof,” said Barbara Whaley, the special prosecutor handling the case.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Watch live witness testimony in the player above.
Brett Hankison’s trial begins Wednesday, nearly two years after the raid that killed Breonna Taylor.
>> Follow Mark Vanderhoff on Twitter for live updates.
Opening statements started just after 9:30 a.m. in Jefferson County Circuit Court. Judge Ann Bailey Smith began by talking to jurors, then special prosecutor Barbara Whaley began speaking.
She reminded the jurors that “This is not a case to decide who is responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor.”
The defense attorney put it similarly and succinctly during jury selection on Tuesday.
“Breonna Taylor has nothing to do with the charges against Brett Hankison this morning, and yet, she has everything to do with it,” said Stew Mathews, as he questioned prospective jurors.
Hankison is facing three counts of wanton endangerment, but those charges are not for Taylor’s death. They are for shots fired into a neighboring apartment with three people inside.
The first witness in Hankison’s trial is Cody Etherton, who lived in that apartment with Chelsey Napper (who was pregnant at the time) and Napper’s 5-year-old.
Etherton and his family are suing LMPD, Metro Louisville, Hankison and other officers over the incident.
Reviewing photos of where the bullets struck his apartment, Etherton says, “One or two more inches and I would have been shot. My son would have never got to meet me and I would have never met my son.”
After him, an 8-year veteran with LMPD Sgt. Kyle Meany took the stand.
This story will be updated throughout the day.
More background on the case
Hankison was one of three LMPD officers serving a no-knock search warrant on Taylor’s apartment on March 20, 2022. When they entered, Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker – who says he did not know the men entering his home were police officers – fired a single shot.
Everything you need to know: Brett Hankison heads to trial
The officers fired back and Taylor, who was behind Walker, was hit six times, police say. The bullet that killed her was fired by Myles Cosgrove, another officer who was present that night, according to the investigation that ensued.
Cosgrove is scheduled to appear as a witness in Hankison’s trial. The other officer present that night, former LMPD detective Jonathan Mattingly, has said he will plead the Fifth Amendment and refuse to testify, citing the pending U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the LMPD.
In all, more than 30 witnesses are slated to testify in a trial expected to last two to three weeks.
“The commonwealth has the burden of proof in a criminal case and we gladly accept that burden of proof,” said Barbara Whaley, the special prosecutor handling the case.
