(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — A jury in Louisville, Kentucky, has found Brett Hankison, the former police officer charged with recklessly shooting into a neighboring apartment during the course of the raid that ended with the death of Breonna Taylor, not guilty on all three counts.
The jury deliberated for just three hours before returning its verdict.
Hankison fired 10 shots into Taylor’s apartment, several of which entered a neighboring apartment where a man, child and pregnant woman were living, according to prosecutors.
Bullets and casings from Hankison’s gun were found on the scene and retrieved from a common wall of Taylor and her neighbors.
In an interview with Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit in the weeks following the shooting, Hankison alleged that he saw muzzle flashes and was “certain” at the time he heard an AR-15 rifle firing out of the apartment.
After he heard gunshots, Hankison said he thought Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly had been shot. He said he assumed other officers were hit as well.
“I thought they were just being executed,” he said.
No AR-15 rifle or corresponding bullets or casings were found on the scene.
The prosecution delivered its closing arguments Thursday.
“This is not a case to decide who is at fault for the tragic death of Breonna Taylor,” prosecutor Barbara Whaley told the court. “This is not a case about civil rights violations under federal law or the United States Constitution. And this is not a case about Kenneth Walker. Whether what he did that night was right or wrong, this is not your decision.”
Hankison, and fellow officers Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, fired 32 shots into Taylor’s apartment while serving a “no-knock” warrant. Taylor, who was in her bedroom in the apartment, was killed.
The plainclothes officers were serving the warrant searching for Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, who they allege was dealing drugs. He was not at the residence, but her current boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought someone was breaking into the home and fired one shot from a 9mm pistol at the officers. Mattingly was struck in the leg and officers opened fire, killing the 26-year-old Taylor.
The death sparked outrage nationwide and protests calling for the officers to be held accountable for the killing. To this day, no one has been charged with Taylor’s death.
Hankison and Cosgrove were both fired from the police department.
“Today, the jury rendered its decision. We appreciate the hard work of our prosecutors and respect the decision of the jury,” Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said in a statement after the verdict was read on Thursday.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
ESSENCE has revealed the lineup for its 27th Essence Festival of Culture this year, and with stars like Janet Jackson, Nicki Minaj, Jazmine Sullivan performing, the event will surely be one not to miss.
“This is Not a Drill ESSENCE FEST has returned to NOLA with an All-Star lineup that literally can’t be touched!,” ESSENCE wrote in an Instagram announcement.
ESSENCE called upon some of the culture’s biggest, most influential names to help celebrate this year’s theme, “It’s the Black Joy for Me.” Kevin Hart, Summer Walker, New Edition, The Isley Brothers and The Roots and Friends are among the long list of celebs who will be in attendance at the annual concert series.
After hosting the event virtually the last two years, the highly anticipated ESSENCE Festival kicks off live and in person this year from June 30-July 3 in New Orleans.
Over the course of four days, festival-goers will have the opportunity to enjoy good food and free daytime experiences, take advantage of career advancement workshops and of course, witness Black joy live, by way of the many musical performances.
“As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture is a staple that celebrates community and empowers equity. We are excited to welcome the family back live to New Orleans and thrilled to connect with more of our diasporic family through new digital experiences,” said ESSENCE CEO Caroline Wanga.
Additional talent and experiences will be announced soon. Tickets for the festival are on sale now at EssenceFestival.com
Kane Brown’s got a new song coming out, and he gave fans a little preview from the driver’s seat of his car on Thursday.
“Leave You Alone,” a steamy love ballad that falls on the more traditional country end of Kane’s diverse catalog, will be out tonight at midnight, the singer explained on social media. To whet fans’ appetites, he shared a clip of himself singing along to the song as he blasts it in his car, rolling the windows down and driving along the highway.
Kane’s been holding on to this new song for a while now. He shared a snippet of the demo for “Leave You Alone” on his socials last summer.
Meanwhile, Kane’s still riding the high of his latest success at country radio, the number-one hit “One Mississippi.”
Certified girl dad Thomas Rhett recently made a very special visit to Walt Disney World.
The singer and his wife, Lauren, took their two oldest daughters — six-year-old Willa Gray and four-year-old Ada James — for a special Disney vacation to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World resort. The best part?
“I think princesses probably tops the list,” Lauren tells People. “I think seeing their princesses is their favorite thing.”
Thomas agrees that the Disney princesses were a highlight, though he adds that a trip to Space Mountain was another favorite part of the experience, because “that’s my lifelong favorite ride.”
Meanwhile, back home, the rest of their girl gang is waiting until they’re a little older to experience the magic of Disney. Thomas and Lauren are parents to two more girls: Two-year-old Lennon Love and three-month-old Lillie Carolina.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Intimate Britney Spears
Britney Spears has to take it easy for a couple of days after she overdid it at the gym. Although she admits she is “embarrassed as hell” by how she managed to hurt herself, the “Toxic” singer says there is a silver lining.
Sharing a video of her enjoying the tropical view from her balcony, Britney — affecting a faux British accent — explained, “My fiancé [SamAsghari] is extremely strong [bicep emoji] at the gym … I was an idiot who pushed it and hurt myself and couldn’t move yesterday morning. Literally embarrassed as hell but extremely painful !!!”
Despite the bruised ego, the Grammy winner revealed the bright side of her injury — she was able to take charge of how she wanted her injury treated, especially when it came to selecting medication.
“I’ve never experienced Excedrin PM but it’s wonderful for pain !!! You have to understand I was only able to have Tylenol 4 months ago, so independently owning things I haven’t been able to for 13 years is actually a big deal for me,” she told her fans. She also assured she is on the mend, adding, “I woke up this morning and I’m better !!!”
She also joked about using the British accent when filming her update, saying it “makes things a bit more sophisticated.”
Britney later shared a video of her posing in a tight yellow dress and showing off her vast shoe collection. She admitted she has “a lot of shoes” before quipping, “So stop telling me to buy new shoes.”
(NEW YORK) — After a chaotic week, Russian soprano Anna Netrebko has withdrawn from performances at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House.
“It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” Met Opera general manager Peter Gelb said in a statement Thursday. “Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward.”
On Sunday, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Gelb posted a message to the Met’s social media saying, “We can no longer engage with artists or institutions that support Putin or are supported by him — not until the invasion and killing has been stopped, order has been restored and restitutions have been made.”
The statement was met with confusion from some specifically because Netrebko — who has previously voiced support for Putin and in 2014 supported the arts in the separatist region of Ukraine — has become a widely recognized face of the Met over the last two decades, including opening the season several years in a row. She was set to perform in the Met’s “Turandot” later in the spring and was scheduled to perform in the 2022-23 season, which the Met announced Feb. 23.
The Met’s message now that she has been withdrawn from performances after “not complying with the Met’s condition that she repudiate her public support for Vladimir Putin while he wages war on Ukraine,” is sending loud reverberations through the industry.
In a series of Instagram posts over the weekend, Netrebko called for peace and voiced her opposition to the war, but did not mention Putin.
“Forcing artists, or any public figure, to voice their political opinions in public and to denounce their homeland is not right. This should be a free choice. Like many of my colleagues, I am not a political person. I am not an expert in politics. I am an artist and my purpose is to unite people across political divides,” she wrote on an Instagram post Saturday.
She went on to say in an Instagram story, “It’s especially despicable from people from the West, seated comfortable in their home, not fearing for their lives, to pretend to be brave and pretending to ‘fight’ by putting in trouble artists who asked nothing.”
Netrebko’s Instagram, where she has over 750,000 followers, was later set to private.
Netrebko’s withdrawal from the Met, which includes the “Turandot” this spring as well as a “Don Carlo” in the next season, comes as Russian conductor Valery Gergiev faces similar career impacts from the invasion. He was replaced in a series of Vienna Philharmonic concerts at New York City’s Carnegie Hall last week and fired as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic after also refusing to denounce Putin.
The two — who are among the most globally famous classical artists currently performing — have faced, and stand to face, further repercussions as the opera and classical industry take stands against the Russian invasion.
Polish tenor Piotr Beczała, Latvian mezzo Elīna Garanča and Georgian mezzo Anita Rachvelishvili all announced they would not be performing in Russia, with Rachvelishvili calling Putin a “dictator” who “is killing our people.”
“I am not a politician and I have no influence on political decisions. But I am an artist and I can use my voice to express my opposition to the war that takes place just across the border of my beloved motherland,” Beczała wrote.
Russian American conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya, music director of the Chicago Opera Theater, wrote on Twitter that she was “terrified for all my family and friends in Ukraine, where I spent so many happy summers as a child.”
Finnish soprano Karita Mattila also took to Twitter with a memory: “I refused to perform with (Maestro) Gergiev in 2014 at Carnegie Hall concert because he publicly supported Russian invasion of Crimea. I wanted to show solidarity towards my Ukrainian colleagues. My action had long lasting consequences: I received threats.”
Netrebko has brushed controversy before, both with her 2014 actions and with her opinions on skin-darkening makeup. Gelb told The New York Times it’s “hard to imagine a scenario in which (Netrebko) will return to the Met,” a stunning remark given her staying power at the house that made her an international star.
The Met on Monday opened its first opera after a scheduled monthlong break with a performance of the Ukrainian national anthem.
For the springtime “Turandot,” Netrebko will be replaced by Liudmyla Monastyrska — a Ukrainian soprano.
Ava Max is getting ready for her new music era and teased that an upcoming new song will set the stage for her next album.
Speaking with Billboard, the “Motto” hitmaker revealed, “I spent all year writing on this next album. I spent all last year writing and it was the hardest year of my life, last year, personally.”
When pressed for details, Ava added, “This music will say a lot. Especially this new song coming out later this month. I’ve never written anything so personal and it’s probably some of the best music I’ve ever written.”
The “Psycho” singer is “excited” to be coming out with a new body of work soon, and teased, “It’s still anthemic and pop and amazing, but I think it’s a little different. It’s more personal and I hope the fans [like it].” Although she’s eager to kickstart her next era, Ava added that she’s “terrified” because her new music is more vulnerable.
“I feel like a piece of my heart is coming out and I’m super nervous about it,” she admitted before revealing her next album is titled, Maybe You’re the Problem. She also hinted that she possibly included more collaborations on her upcoming work.
In addition, Ava gave a shout-out to her “Motto” collaborator Tiesto, saying he “inspired this whole new sound for me.”
Ava also revealed what inspired her dramatic makeover, where she went from her signature platinum blonde hair to a cherry-red chop cut.
“I was blonde for a long time, like four years, and I didn’t change it much. I just kept it blonde and I was like, ‘What’s the craziest thing I could do?’ and ‘What’s my favorite color?’ Red!” she explained. “Literally, I wear red lipstick all the time. Why not match my lipstick?”
Oscar winners Kevin Costner, Lady Gaga and Minari‘s Yuh-Jung Youn will be among the presenters at the 94th Annual Academy Awards, taking place March 27th.
Also added at the podium for this year’s festivities will be stand-up icon and Fargo vet Chris Rock and The Batman‘s Zoë Kravitz.
In the announcement, co-producer Will Packer said, “Movies inspire us, entertain us and unite us across the globe. That’s the precise goal of the show this year, and we’re thrilled to welcome the first of a stellar lineup joining the Oscars stage to help us celebrate the power of film and honor the year’s best in filmmaking.”
More presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall will host the 94th Annual Academy Awards, live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood starting at 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC.
(NEW YORK) — When the first coronavirus vaccines were shipped out across the country more than a year ago, millions of Americans waited eagerly for their turn to get a shot, hoping that it would lead to a return to normal.
In the spring of 2021, after every adult became eligible for the vaccine, over 2 million people a day were getting their first dose. However, in recent months, with most of those willing to get their shots now inoculated, vaccination rates have plummeted.
The number of Americans who are receiving their first COVID-19 vaccine now stands at a pandemic low, with fewer than 80,000 Americans initiating vaccination each day. Further, since December, the rate of people getting boosted has also fallen significantly, dropping from 1 million booster shots administered a day to less than 140,000.
“Dropping of local vaccine mandates and the end of the omicron surge are likely contributing to a stalling out in first time vaccines and boosters,” said John Brownstein, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News contributor. “Unfortunately, at this point, there are not many tools left in the toolbox to encourage people to be up to date.”
Although there are certainly fewer unvaccinated than vaccinated people in the U.S., tens of millions of Americans remain unvaccinated and unboosted. Across the country, more than 58 million eligible Americans remain unvaccinated, while 87.6 million Americans — about half of those currently eligible to be boosted — have yet to receive their supplemental dose.
Amid the declining interest, some scientists and health officials say it is possible Americans could need an additional booster this fall, or seasonal boosters in the future, to address waning vaccine immunity or new coronavirus variants.
“The potential future requirement for an additional boost or a fourth shot for mRNA or a third shot for J&J is being very carefully monitored in real time, and recommendations, if needed, will be updated according to the data as it evolves,” White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci during a press briefing last month.
The experts interviewed by ABC News are concerned about how to convey that message while maintaining trust as well as how additional doses might further exacerbate inequities in access and care around the country.
Since the fall, immunocompromised Americans have already had the option to receive a fourth mRNA dose. However, for the general public, the benefit of additional doses still is not clear.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV last week, Fauci said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is studying data on a “month-by-month basis,” and should durability rates continue to fall, officials will have to decide whether to begin offering a fourth dose, particularly to those at higher risk, such as the elderly.
However, even if data emerges indicating the need for a fourth dose, convincing Americans to get another shot may present a new set of challenges.
“I think we can expect to see less uptake of fourth doses than we saw of third doses,” Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News. “A change in the messaging around the goal of the vaccination program would help a lot.”
Some people point erroneously to the increase in breakthrough infections as a reason to not get vaccinated, she said.
Thus, experts say, it is important for public health experts to emphasize the benefit of vaccination, and how dramatically reducing the risk of developing severe illness or dying if infected.
In December, a period of omicron dominance, unvaccinated people were 14 times more likely to die of COVID-19 compared to people who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson shot or two shots of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Health experts also caution that if a fourth dose is eventually needed, it will be important for health officials to outline what the purpose of an additional dose would be.
“Are we trying to prevent all infections, or are we trying to prevent severe disease?” Doron asked. “Public messaging that is honest about the waning effectiveness for infection and focuses on a need for additional doses only when effectiveness against severe disease has waned, and only for those populations in whom that has happened, might help restore trust and increase vaccine uptake.”
Evidence exhibiting protection against severe illness and death, will ultimately be paramount, Brownstein added.
“Clinical data, combined with real-word evidence, must show that additional shots provide critical protection against severe illness and death,” he said.
Experts are particularly concerned about the continued growing racial disparity in the current booster drive, and the impact such gaps in uptake could have on populations that are already at increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes.
Black and brown Americans are currently lagging in the booster effort, with only 39.5% of eligible Hispanic/Latino Americans boosted, and 43.8% of eligible Black Americans boosted. Asian Americans lead every race/ethnicity group, with 58.9% of the eligible population boosted.
“Vaccine rollouts have highlighted critical inequities in access and education, leading to concerning differences in vaccination rates across race and ethnicity,” Brownstein explained.
If additional shots are needed in the future, experts worry about deepening inequities.
“A fourth shot strategy is likely to only further inequities in protection unless accompanied with direct efforts to bring the entire population up to date,” Brownstein added.
As health officials plan for the months and years ahead, Doron suggested there are several potential ways to proceed, including switching to an annual vaccination should a seasonal pattern with COVID-19 emerge or waiting for continued signs of waning effectiveness and recommending a fourth dose then, particularly to those at high risk.
“Any determination that additional booster doses are needed will be based on data available to the agency,” a representative from the FDA told ABC News in a statement.
Regardless of how officials decide to move forward, experts say it will be essential to convince Americans of the importance and benefits of vaccines, and thus, that low COVID-19 vaccination rates could not only undermine recovery prospects, but potentially also lead to another surge of infections in the advent of a new variant.
“The case for a fourth shot needs to be incredibly compelling, if we expect the American public to get on board,” Brownstein said. “The focus should continue to be on primary care providers and frontline health care workers to continue to educate the public on the value of vaccines.”
Def Leppard will be playing stadiums this summer, but fans of the band will have the chance to see drummer Rick Allen performing in much smaller venues in three U.S. cities this month.
Allen will be accompanying his wife, singer/songwriter and healing artist Lauren Monroe, at intimate concerts taking place on March 21 in New York City, March 22 in Philadelphia and March 24 in Washington, D.C.
The shows will celebrate the arrival of Monroe’s new single, “Kiss Me Now,” which will be released on March 18. You can check out a preview clip of the song at Lauren’s SoundCloud page. Among the musicians who contributed to the track were longtime Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone and acclaimed session bassist Bob Glaub.
At Monroe’s concerts, attendees will be able to view two pieces of art that Allen and Monroe created together, which will be auctioned online to benefit Raven Drum Foundation — the charity founded by the couple that seeks to support, educate and empower military veterans dealing with PTSD and combat trauma, as well as other at-risk populations.
The concerts and the single’s release coincide with National Complementary Therapy Week, which is observed March 20-27 in the U.S. and U.K. Through performance, storytelling and art, Allen and Monroe hope to present an intimate experience that will demonstrate how music can help people heal and grow.
For each performance, Raven Drum Foundation will be teaming up with local veterans organizations to nominate veterans who will get to attend the shows for free.
People also can visit e.givesmart.com, where they can purchase tickets that will be donated to veterans who would like to attend a Monroe concert.
Def Leppard’s The Stadium Tour with Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jettkicks off June 16 in Atlanta.
