LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It'll will be several more months until fired Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) detective Brett Hankison is tried in front of a jury -- again.
In a status hearing on Wednesday, a federal judge doubled down on an Oct. 14 retrial date.
Federal prosecutors and Hankison's attorneys appeared over Zoom. They told the judge one member of the defense team, Stew Matthews, had retired and Hankison is working to find a replacement. Hankison opted to retain two of his three attorneys.
Officials set another virtual hearing to finalize Hankison's attorneys on March 13, which will mark four years since Breonna Taylor's death. They will finalize counsel for the defense team and other deadlines at this hearing.
Hankison is charged with depriving both Taylor and her neighbors of their civil rights, as well as using excessive force, when he fired shots into each of their apartments during the overnight raid in March of 2020.
On Nov. 16, the judge declared a mistrial in Hankison's case after the jury couldn't reach a unanimous verdict, following deliberations over the course of four days and testimony extending over a week -- including from Hankison himself.
Weeks later, federal prosecutors confirmed they're trying Hankison for a second time for his actions on the night Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot to death by police after they knocked down the door of her apartment.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutors pushed for an earlier date but the judge said it's the best they can do because of scheduling conflicts.
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