Breonna Taylor case resumes with 1st questioning of jurors

Jury selection resumed Tuesday with the first questioning of potential jurors for the trial of a former Kentucky police officer involved in the deadly raid that killed Breonna Taylor.

Prospective jurors in Brett Hankison's wanton endangerment trial are being questioned individually, so lawyers can determine whether they have any preexisting biases before evidence is presented.

Hankison is not charged in the death of Taylor, who was shot to death in a botched 2020 narcotics raid. But prosecutors said Hankison fired shots during the raid that went into a neighbouring apartment, endangering others.

The first prospective juror called was a Black woman -- a medical worker just like Taylor was -- who said she was "neutral" on the case. Lawyers asked if she was aware Hankison's case is separate from the shooting death of Taylor. The woman said she had no opinion about Taylor's death and indicated she could weigh the evidence against Hankison fairly. She was retained and asked to return on Feb. 22 for the next phase of jury selection.

Two other jurors included in the first group were dismissed. One, a young man, said he had a negative opinion of police and didn't want to be on the jury. The other, a white woman, said she believed Hankison was guilty in Taylor's death.