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Title: Federal lawsuit calls officer in Breonna Taylor shooting a 'dirty cop' with a 'vendetta'
Source:
Louisville Courier-Journal
URL Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/sto ... shooting-dirty-cop/5210355002/
Published: May 18, 2020
Author: Tessa Duvall
Post Date: 2020-06-11 19:09:17 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 979
Comments: 3
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An ongoing federal lawsuit accuses one of the narcotics detectives in the shooting death of 26-year-old ER tech Breonna Taylor of harassing suspects with unnecessary arrests and planting drugs on them. Kendrick Wilson filed suit against Officer Brett Hankison in October 2019, saying his mistake was "attracting the unwanted and undeserved attention” of Hankison who had decided that Wilson, “for one reason or another, had to be engaging in illegal activity, and that he had to ensure his conviction.” Hankison denied all allegations against him in a response filed a month later. Accusations contained in a civil lawsuit represent only one side of the story and do not constitute evidence in a court of law. Hankison, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officer Myles Cosgrove are on administrative reassignment while an internal investigation is underway into the March 13 shooting of Taylor. All three are being sued by Taylor's family. Also:What we know about Breonna Taylor's boyfriend and the charges against him Taylor was shot eight times by the officers who entered her apartment just before 1 a.m. Police have said the officers were serving a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation, but no drugs were found at the home. Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, said he thought intruders were breaking in and fired one shot that struck Mattingly in the leg. The officers then returned fire, expending more than 20 rounds. Walker is facing attempted murder charges for allegedly shooting Mattingly. Taylor's death has ignited a firestorm across the nation in recent weeks, as prominent voices questioned why an unarmed black woman had been gunned down by white officers. But years earlier, Hankinson was accused of harassing Wilson, who said the officer targeted him and even planted drugs. Wilson's civil suit is unrelated to Taylor's death and Walker's criminal charges. Wilson's suit outlines three times in which Hankison arrested Wilson in 2016 and 2018, all of which originated at bars where Hankison sometimes worked as off-duty security. It also says that Wilson and Hankison have had various interactions outside of the arrests, “including over a relationship with the same woman.” The first arrest was in 2016 at the Tin Roof bar, when Hankinson arrested Wilson for assault. The charges were dismissed in November. In June 2018, outside the Tin Roof bar, Hankinson arrested Wilson again. The arrest citation Hankison wrote states that a police dog indicated the “presence of a narcotic odor” in Wilson’s pocket. Wilson empties his pockets, which the suit said showed they contained only money. Related:Who are the 3 Louisville officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting? What we know 'No-knock' searches vs. 'stand your ground' laws: A deadly duo in Breonna Taylor shooting The citation said Hankison recovered a plastic bag of suspected powder cocaine on the ground and arrested Wilson. But the lawsuit, citing body camera footage, said Hankison located the bag “on the sidewalk several feet away from where the altercation took place.” “He then jokes with other LMPD officers about ‘planting dope’ when Mr. Wilson expressed shock over the locating of these drugs,” the suit says. “Also visible on the body camera is an unnamed civilian, who can be heard communicating with Mr. Wilson that he saw an officer drop the drugs on the sidewalk before he retrieved them,” the suit says. On the way to jail, Wilson said Hankison has a "vendetta" against him, and is a "dirty cop" who needs to be exposed, according to the lawsuit. Wilson spent the night in jail before posting bond. The suit says Wilson also “incurred the cost of drug tests, which all yielded negative results, in attempts to support his claim that he is not involved with narcotics.” Wilson's criminal case remains pending in circuit court. In September 2018, Wilson filed a report to LMPD’s Internal Affairs that “Hankison was unfairly targeting him.” However, he discontinued his complaint because his legal case was pending and he did not have an attorney with him. he next month, Hankison arrested Wilson a third time, this time at Sullivan’s Tap House. Hankison wrote on the arrest citation that he located a “large bag of powder cocaine” that weighed “an excess of 5 grams" on Wilson. A civilian video taken of the incident showed Hankison “taunting” Wilson’s girlfriend and telling her that “he was planting ‘dope’ again,” according to the suit. The charges were dropped two months later. Laboratory testing later revealed the powder Hankison claimed to have located “came back negative for any controlled substances,” according to the suit. In October 2019, LMPD officers executed a warrant at Wilson’s home and barbershop, kicking in the door of his home and pointing guns at his girlfriend before handcuffing her during the search. They seized a legally owned gun and Wilson’s license and cell phone, according to the suit, which accused Hankison, a narcotics detective, of playing "a role in the issuance of these warrants, which were carried out by narcotics officers.” Wilson’s lawsuit accuses Hankison of malicious prosecution and violating his constitutional rights and seeks reimbursement for Wilson’s legal fees and punitive damages.
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#1. To: All (#0)
the Louisville Metro Police department is finally giving Officer Hankison some attention but not for his role in murdering Breonna Taylor. This attention comes in the form of two women accusing this officer of sexual assault and rape. The department has since reached out to the women so the department’s Public Integrity Unit “can initiate and conduct an investigation,” police spokesman Dwight Mitchell tells PEOPLE. The two women — law graduate Margo Borders and medic Emily Terry — each shared their story on social media last week. In an impassioned post on Facebook, Borders, who studied law at the University of Louisville, said her assault took place in 2018 and she had nowhere to go because her rapist was a cop. In April of 2018 I went out to a bar with some friends. I went to call an uber home and a police officer who I had interacted with on many occasions at bars in St. Matthews offered me a ride home. He drove me home in uniform, in his marked car, invited himself into my apartment and sexually assaulted me while I was unconscious. It took me months to process what had happened and to realize that it wasn’t my fault and I didn’t ask for that to happen by allowing him to give me a ride home. I never reported him out of fear of retaliation. I had no proof of what happened and he had the upper hand because he was a police officer. Who do you call when the person who assaulted you is a police officer? Who were they going to believe? I knew it wouldn’t be me. In March of 2020 that same officer and two others (John Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove) entered the home of Breonna Taylor under a no-knock warrant and with absolutely no regard for anyone’s life shot over 22 rounds murdering Breonna Taylor while she was sleeping. He is currently on paid leave in Florida on the beach. I implore all of you to demand justice for all of his victims, but mostly demand justice for Breonna Taylor. Contact the attorney general Daniel Cameron to charge him and the LMPD Professional Standards Unit to fire him. https://www.cameronforkentucky.com/contact/ Sign https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-t… Donate to Breonna Taylor’s family https://www.gofundme.com/f/9v4q2-justice-for-breonna-taylor. If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention. Terry, Hankison’s other alleged victim, tells a similar story of a cop preying on drunk women after the bars closed. The only difference is that the sexual assault started in the car on the way home. This is Brett Hankison. In early fall, I began walking home from a bar intoxicated. A police officer pulled up next to me and offered me a ride home. I thought to myself, “Wow. That is so nice of him.” And willingly got in. He began making sexual advances towards me; rubbing my thigh, kissing my forehead, and calling me “baby”. Mortified, I did not move. I continued to talk about my grad school experiences and ignored him. As soon as he pulled up to my apartment building, I got out of the car and ran to the back. My friend reported this the next day, and of course nothing came from it. Flash forward, I see his face. This face. Involved with the shooting of Breonna Taylor. I then find out he has a history of corrupt behavior. He has had multiple sexual assault allegations, and was in a federal lawsuit over planting narcotics on a black man to arrest him. Not all cops are bad, but this one is. Right now, Mr. Hankison is walking free. Reading this, I hope you know this is not about me, but the reform that needs to take place. Please use your voices to speak up of the injustice occurring throughout our community. Unlike Borders, Terry’s case was allegedly reported to police, who apparently took no action.
Government is in the last resort the employment of armed men, of policemen, gendarmes, soldiers, prison guards, and hangmen. Several feet away from the altercation??? How could it have possibly gotten there??? Must have been planted. No other explanation.
All cases dropped. Never even made it to court. Yet somehow they're still relevant? They're still brought up? Are we living in some communist country?
Brett Hankison has a history of violence, sexual assault, and planting drug evidence on people. There have been multiple allegations against this man and reports but all cases dropped and no disciplinary action taken.
The essential feature of government is the enforcement of its decrees by beating, killing, and imprisoning.
Those who are asking for more government interference are asking ultimately for more compulsion and less freedom.
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
But the lawsuit, citing body camera footage, said Hankison located the bag “on the sidewalk several feet away from where the altercation took place.”
#3. To: Deckard (#1)
There have been multiple allegations against this man and reports but all cases dropped
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