Photo: Getty Images North America
A federal judge has dismissed the most serious charge against two former Louisville police officers involved in the 2020 deadly raid of Breonna Taylor's apartment.
On the night of March 13, 2020, Taylor was in her apartment with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when Louisville officers executed a no-knock warrant, which was later found to be based on faulty information. Walker shot at police as they charged through the door, believing officers were intruders. Officers shot into the apartment, firing the fatal one that killed Taylor.
Ex-officers Kyle Meany and Joshua Jaynes were initially charged with violating Taylor’s civil rights, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors accused the pair of lying and including false information in the search warrant used in the botched raid on Taylor’s apartment.
In a ruling on Wednesday (August 20), U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson determined that "prosecutors can't attribute Taylor's death to the lack of a warrant because the officers' returning fire was a legal act," WBIR reports.
"This is not a case of excessive force. Nor is it a case of police brutality," Simpson wrote. "This is a case of legal, lethal, and tragic crossfire that was not initiated by the police."
Simpson had previously dropped felony civil rights charges against Meany and Jaynes in August 2024. The pair still faces lesser misdemeanor charges. Jaynes also remains charged with conspiracy and falsification of records in a federal investigation. Meany is still charged with making a false statement to federal investigators.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.