In a recent ruling, a federal judge dismissed major felony charges against two former Louisville officers, Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, accused of falsifying a warrant that led to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor. U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson determined that the actions of Taylor’s boyfriend, who fired a shot at police during the raid, were the legal cause of her death, not the warrant itself. As a result, the civil rights violation charges against Jaynes and Meany were reduced to misdemeanors, while a conspiracy charge against Jaynes and a false statement charge against Meany remained. The judge emphasized that there was no direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylor’s death.
When police executed the warrant at Taylor’s apartment in March 2020, her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot that struck an officer, prompting officers to return fire and kill Taylor. Simpson concluded that Walker’s actions disrupted the series of events that led to Taylor’s death, making him the legal cause of her fatal shooting. Initially, Walker was arrested and charged with attempted murder of a police officer, but the charge was later dropped after his attorneys argued that Walker did not know he was firing at police. Taylor’s family expressed devastation over the judge’s ruling and pledged to continue fighting for justice for Breonna.
The U.S. Justice Department is currently reviewing the judge’s decision and assessing next steps in the case against Jaynes and Meany. A third former officer involved in the case, Kelly Goodlett, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and is expected to testify against Jaynes and Meany. Prosecutors alleged that Jaynes had provided false information to Goodlett regarding a suspected drug dealer receiving packages at Taylor’s apartment, leading to the falsification of the warrant. Goodlett subsequently added information connecting Taylor to criminal activity, despite knowing it was not true. It was also revealed that Jaynes and Goodlett met in Jaynes’ garage after the shooting to align their stories before speaking to investigators.
Another former officer, Brett Hankison, was charged by federal prosecutors in 2022 with endangering the lives of Taylor, Walker, and their neighbors by firing into Taylor’s windows during the raid. A trial last year ended in a hung jury, but Hankison is scheduled to be retried on those charges in October. The legal proceedings surrounding Breonna Taylor’s death have sparked national outrage and calls for police accountability and reform. Despite the recent ruling reducing the charges against two former officers, Taylor’s family remains determined to seek full justice for Breonna.
