According to Merrick Garland, the U.S. attorney general, four current and former officers of Louisville were indicted on federal charges for Breonna Taylor’s murder. An announcementAugust 4.
“The federal charges announced today allege that members of [Louisville Metro Police Department’s] Place-Based Investigations Unit falsified the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant of Ms. Taylor’s home, that this act violated federal civil rights laws, and that those violations resulted in Ms. Taylor’s death,”Garland stated in the statement.
Former LMPD Detective Joshua Jaynes, 40, and current LMPD Sergeant Kyle Meany, 35 were charged with four counts of federal civil rights and obstruction offenses for their roles in preparing and approving a false search warrant affidavit that resulted in Taylor’s death, according to the statement.
The indictment alleges that Jaynes and Meany willfully drafted and approved an affidavit to obtain a search warrant for Taylor’s home that contained false and misleading statements. Jaynes and Meany knew that armed LMPD officers were going to execute the search warrant. This could have serious consequences. “a dangerous situation for anyone who happened to be in Ms. Taylor’s home.”
“The affidavit falsely claimed that officers had verified that the target of the alleged drug trafficking operation had received packages at Ms. Taylor’s address. In fact, defendants Jaynes and Goodlett knew that was not true,”Garland stated during a Press conference.
LMPD Detective Kelly Goodlett has been charged for conspiring with Jaynes to falsify the search warrant for Taylor’s home and to cover up their actions afterward, according to the statement.
Garland stated that Jaynes and Goodlett had met in a garage following Taylor’s death during the press conference “where they agreed to tell investigators a false story.”
Brett Hankison (46), a former LMPD Detective, was charged with two violations of civil rights. He was alleged to have willingly used “unconstitutionally excessive force,”According to the statement.
The release states that Hankison used his service weapon to shoot through a covered window and covered glass door into Taylor’s apartment. Hankison also fired shots into three of Taylor’s neighbors’ homes, shooting through a sliding glass door that was covered with blinds and a curtain, according to the statement.
According to the indictment, several rounds from Hankison allegedly passed through Taylor’s walls and into Taylor’s neighbor’s unit. Both charges allege Hankison used dangerous weapons and attempted to kill.
Hankison, who was being charged by state authorities in March, was acquitted from three counts of felonious wanton endangerment in connection to the March 13th 2020 raid that resulted with the death Breonna Taylor. State officials did not charge any other officers of the LMPD.
Garland also claimed that officers who carried out the search were not involved and unaware of the false warrant.
“We share, but we cannot fully imagine, the grief felt by Breonna Taylor’s loved ones and all of those affected by the events of March 13, 2020. Breonna Taylor should be alive today,”Garland said.