Federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday their intention to retry former Louisville officer Brett Hankison on charges of using excessive force the night Breonna Taylor was killed by police in 2020. This decision comes after a jury deadlocked last month, leading to a mistrial being declared. The jury deliberated for several days but was unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Hankison, who fired 10 shots during the deadly raid, did not strike anyone directly but caused damage to Taylor's apartment and a neighboring unit where a child was sleeping. Federal prosecutor Michael Songer stated during a status conference that "the government intends to retry the case." This would be the third attempt to prosecute Hankison for his actions on the night of the botched raid.

In addition to the federal charges, Hankison was previously acquitted last year on state charges of wanton endangerment for shooting into Taylor's windows and a glass patio door. U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings tentatively set a trial date for October 2024 but acknowledged that the date could change as prosecutors expressed interest in retrying Hankison in the summer. Hankison's defense team also mentioned that one of his lawyers is retiring, potentially leading to the addition of new counsel.

During the previous trial, which featured a mostly white jury, the deliberation process proved challenging. At one point, the judge stated that there were "elevated voices" coming from the deliberation room, necessitating court security intervention. Despite the request from Songer to allow the jury to continue deliberating, Judge Jennings declared a mistrial, citing the jurors' inability to reach a consensus.

Hankison is the only officer facing criminal charges for firing his weapon during the raid, as prosecutors determined that the other two officers were justified in returning fire after one of them was shot in the leg by Taylor's boyfriend.

Moving forward, a status hearing is scheduled for January 24th, allowing for further discussions and updates on the retrial. The trial itself has been slated for October 14, 2024, although this timeline remains subject to change. The announcement of a retrial indicates the determination of federal prosecutors to hold Hankison accountable for his alleged actions and seek justice for Breonna Taylor's death.