Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s office filed evidence that can be used to help defendant Brett Hankinson in the Breonna Taylor case.
Earlier this week, Cameron submitted two long-rifle shell casings that were discovered in and near Taylor’s apartment after the tragic shooting. They were filed as exculpatory evidence and will be used by the FBI “for purposes of testing.” It is not clear how the shell casings would work in Hankinson’s favor. “The shell casings, theoretically, could be of some importance,” Hankison’s attorney Stewart Matthews said. “I just don’t know enough at this point.”
During his presentation of the grand jury reports, Cameron announced that Hankinson would be indicted for shooting blindly into Taylor’s apartment and endangering neighbors. He ruled that the shots fired by Hankison did not strike Taylor. Grand jurors have been exposing Cameron for failing to present them with the option to indict Hankison on certain charges. They’ve also alleged the officers “covered” their mistakes on the night Taylor was killed.
As for fellow officers Brett Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Cameron claimed their shots — which ultimately struck and killed Taylor — were only fired in self-defense after her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired warning shots at the officers entering the apartment. Mattingly is now suing Walker for the emotional distress, assault and battery he’s allegedly experienced as a result of his actions.
“Walker’s conduct in shooting Mattingly is outrageous, intolerable and offends all accepted standards of decency and morality,” the lawsuit reads.
“Mattingly was shot and nearly killed by Kenneth Walker,” Mattingly’s lawyer added. “He’s entitled to, and should, use the legal process to seek a remedy for the injury that Walker has caused him.”
The two shell casings, found in Taylor’s bedroom and parking lot, were not previously mentioned in Cameron’s presentation or any of the released reports.