A federal judge has dismissed significant felony charges against two former Louisville officers involved in falsifying a warrant that led to Breonna Taylor’s death. US District Judge Charles Simpson ruled that the actions of Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who fired at police during the raid, were the legal cause of her death, rather than the faulty warrant.
As per the New York Post, in August 2022, US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced federal charges against former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt Kyle Meany.
Garland accused Jaynes and Meany of knowingly falsifying part of the warrant and putting Taylor in a dangerous situation by sending armed officers to her apartment. Notably, Jaynes and Meany were not present at the raid.
Judge Simpson’s ruling on Tuesday stated, “There is no direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylor’s death.” His decision has reduced the civil rights violation charges against Jaynes and Meany from felonies, which carried a maximum life sentence, to misdemeanours.
Judge maintains some charges
However, Judge Simpson did not dismiss a conspiracy charge against Jaynes and maintained another charge against Meany, who allegedly made false statements to investigators. The charges allege that Jaynes and Meany set off events leading to Taylor’s death but interrupted when Walker shot at the police.
“While the indictment alleges that Jaynes and Meany set off a series of events that ended in Taylor’s death, it also alleges that (Walker) disrupted those events when he decided to open fire on the police,” Judge Simpson wrote.
When police broke down Taylor’s door in March 2020 with a drug warrant, Walker fired a shot, hitting an officer in the leg. He claimed he believed an intruder was breaking in. Officers returned fire, killing Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, in her hallway. Simpson concluded Walker’s conduct was the “proximate, or legal, cause of Taylor’s death.”
Walker was initially charged with attempted murder of a police officer, but the charge was dropped when his attorneys argued that he didn’t know he was firing at police officers.
Family’s reaction to the ruling
Taylor’s family expressed their dismay with Simpson’s ruling.
“Obviously we are devastated at the moment by the judge’s ruling with which we disagree and are just trying to process everything,” they said in a written statement to The Associated Press.
The family was informed by prosecutors about their intention to appeal Simpson’s ruling.
“The only thing we can do at this point is continue to be patient … we will continue to fight until we get full justice for Breonna Taylor,” the family’s statement added.
The US justice department said in an email it “is reviewing the judge’s decision and assessing next steps.”
Kelly Goodlett’s role in the case
Kelly Goodlett, another former officer charged in the federal warrant case, pleaded guilty in 2022 to a conspiracy charge and is expected to testify against Jaynes and Meany at their trials. Federal prosecutors revealed that Jaynes, who prepared the Taylor warrant, falsely claimed to Goodlett that he had verified with a postal inspector that a suspected drug dealer was receiving packages at Taylor’s apartment.
Prosecutors said Goodlett was aware this was false and informed Jaynes that the warrant lacked sufficient information connecting Taylor to criminal activity. Despite this, Goodlett added a paragraph to the warrant saying the suspected drug dealer was using Taylor’s apartment as his current address.
Two months later, as the Taylor shooting gained national attention, Jaynes and Goodlett met in Jaynes’ garage to align their stories before he spoke with investigators about the Taylor warrant.
Upcoming trial for Brett Hankison
Former officer Brett Hankison also faced charges by federal prosecutors in 2022 for endangering Taylor, Walker, and neighbours when he fired into Taylor’s windows. His trial last year ended with a hung jury, but Hankison is scheduled to be retried on those charges in October.
As per the New York Post, in August 2022, US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced federal charges against former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt Kyle Meany.
Garland accused Jaynes and Meany of knowingly falsifying part of the warrant and putting Taylor in a dangerous situation by sending armed officers to her apartment. Notably, Jaynes and Meany were not present at the raid.
Judge Simpson’s ruling on Tuesday stated, “There is no direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylor’s death.” His decision has reduced the civil rights violation charges against Jaynes and Meany from felonies, which carried a maximum life sentence, to misdemeanours.
Judge maintains some charges
However, Judge Simpson did not dismiss a conspiracy charge against Jaynes and maintained another charge against Meany, who allegedly made false statements to investigators. The charges allege that Jaynes and Meany set off events leading to Taylor’s death but interrupted when Walker shot at the police.
“While the indictment alleges that Jaynes and Meany set off a series of events that ended in Taylor’s death, it also alleges that (Walker) disrupted those events when he decided to open fire on the police,” Judge Simpson wrote.
When police broke down Taylor’s door in March 2020 with a drug warrant, Walker fired a shot, hitting an officer in the leg. He claimed he believed an intruder was breaking in. Officers returned fire, killing Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, in her hallway. Simpson concluded Walker’s conduct was the “proximate, or legal, cause of Taylor’s death.”
Walker was initially charged with attempted murder of a police officer, but the charge was dropped when his attorneys argued that he didn’t know he was firing at police officers.
Family’s reaction to the ruling
Taylor’s family expressed their dismay with Simpson’s ruling.
“Obviously we are devastated at the moment by the judge’s ruling with which we disagree and are just trying to process everything,” they said in a written statement to The Associated Press.
The family was informed by prosecutors about their intention to appeal Simpson’s ruling.
“The only thing we can do at this point is continue to be patient … we will continue to fight until we get full justice for Breonna Taylor,” the family’s statement added.
The US justice department said in an email it “is reviewing the judge’s decision and assessing next steps.”
Kelly Goodlett’s role in the case
Kelly Goodlett, another former officer charged in the federal warrant case, pleaded guilty in 2022 to a conspiracy charge and is expected to testify against Jaynes and Meany at their trials. Federal prosecutors revealed that Jaynes, who prepared the Taylor warrant, falsely claimed to Goodlett that he had verified with a postal inspector that a suspected drug dealer was receiving packages at Taylor’s apartment.
Prosecutors said Goodlett was aware this was false and informed Jaynes that the warrant lacked sufficient information connecting Taylor to criminal activity. Despite this, Goodlett added a paragraph to the warrant saying the suspected drug dealer was using Taylor’s apartment as his current address.
Two months later, as the Taylor shooting gained national attention, Jaynes and Goodlett met in Jaynes’ garage to align their stories before he spoke with investigators about the Taylor warrant.
Upcoming trial for Brett Hankison
Former officer Brett Hankison also faced charges by federal prosecutors in 2022 for endangering Taylor, Walker, and neighbours when he fired into Taylor’s windows. His trial last year ended with a hung jury, but Hankison is scheduled to be retried on those charges in October.