A federal judge in Kentucky has thrown out criminal charges against two former Louisville police officers who were accused of providing false information in the search warrant that led to Breonna Taylor’s fatal shooting.
U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson released a brief, one-page decision on Friday that dismissed the case against former officers Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, who played roles in preparing the controversial warrant.
The dismissal came after federal prosecutors filed a request with the court last week asking that the charges be dropped “in the interest of justice.” Prosecutors pointed out that the court had previously thrown out several felony counts against both Jaynes and Meany in earlier hearings.
The charges were originally announced in 2022 during a prominent press conference in Louisville by then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who stated “Breonna Taylor should still be alive today.” Garland explained that the officers who actually fired the shots that killed the 26-year-old Taylor were not aware of the “false and misleading statements” contained in the search warrant.
The fatal incident occurred when Taylor’s boyfriend discharged a single round at officers after they used a battering ram to force entry through her front door. Officers responded with gunfire, hitting Taylor several times as she stood in her hallway. Her death, combined with George Floyd’s killing in Minnesota, triggered extensive racial justice demonstrations across the country during the summer of 2020.
Jaynes had been facing accusations of conspiracy, falsifying documents, and misdemeanor violations of civil rights. Meany was charged with allegedly providing false information to federal investigators.
The search warrant for Taylor’s residence claimed she was accepting mail deliveries on behalf of a suspected drug dealer who was her former boyfriend. The paperwork stated that Jaynes had verified with postal authorities that packages addressed to the ex-boyfriend were being delivered to Taylor’s home. However, investigators subsequently discovered that Jaynes had never actually confirmed this information with postal inspectors. Meany, who held the rank of sergeant, had approved the warrant.
The Louisville Police Department terminated Jaynes in 2021 for providing false information regarding the warrant. Meany lost his job after being indicted in 2022.
