Judge dismisses felony charges against police in Breonna Taylor case

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
24 Aug 2024 12:37

The judge's ruling concluded that the actions of Taylor's boyfriend were the cause of her death.

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Linda Sarsour, center, speaks during the Good Trouble Tuesday march for Breonna Taylor on August 25, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky. (AP)

A federal judge has dismissed major felony charges against two former Louisville officers, Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, who were accused of falsifying a warrant that led to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

According to reports, US District Judge Charles Simpson ruled that Taylor’s death was legally caused by her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who fired at police during the raid, not by the warrant's validity.

The Tuesday ruling reduced the civil rights charges against Jaynes and Meany from potential life sentences to misdemeanors, citing no direct link between the warrant and Taylor's death. However, Judge Simpson upheld the conspiracy charge against Jaynes and the false statement charge against Meany.

In 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced federal charges against Jaynes and Meany, accusing them of knowingly falsifying part of the warrant and endangering Taylor by sending armed officers to her apartment, despite neither being present during the raid.

In March 2020, when police executed the drug warrant at Taylor's apartment, Walker fired a shot, hitting an officer, believing the intruders were not police. Walker’s response led to a police return fire that killed Taylor. That said, Simpson's ruling highlighted that Walker's actions were the direct cause of Taylor’s death, despite claims that Jaynes and Meany’s actions contributed to the situation.

Walker was originally charged with the attempted murder of a police officer. However, these charges were subsequently dropped after his defense successfully argued that he was unaware he was shooting at law enforcement.

Taylor's family expressed profound devastation over the ruling and announced their intention to appeal. They declared, “We will continue to fight until we get full justice for Breonna Taylor.”

The US Justice Department is currently reviewing the decision and contemplating its next steps. Meanwhile, Kelly Goodlett, a third former officer implicated in the case, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in 2022 and is anticipated to testify against Jaynes and Meany.