COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jurors in Columbus started weighing evidence Wednesday in the second murder trial of a former law enforcement officer accused of killing a young Black man in 2020.
Jason Meade, a white former Franklin County sheriff’s deputy and Baptist minister, faces murder and reckless homicide charges for the December 2020 death of Casey Goodson Jr., 23. Prosecutors say Meade shot Goodson five times in the back while Goodson attempted to enter his grandmother’s home. The initial trial concluded in a mistrial over two years ago.
The fatal encounter occurred during a period of nationwide demonstrations following George Floyd’s death, adding to a series of incidents involving white Ohio police officers killing Black residents throughout the prior decade.
Earlier this year, Goodson’s relatives secured a $7 million settlement in their federal civil rights lawsuit against the county.
Unlike the previous trial where he took the stand, Meade’s legal team chose not to have him testify this time. In his earlier testimony, Meade claimed he followed Goodson after witnessing him display a weapon while their vehicles passed each other. He stated he feared for his safety and others’ wellbeing, ultimately firing when Goodson allegedly turned toward him while armed.
Defense lawyer Mark Collins addressed jurors during Wednesday’s closing statements: “Jason had to decide, ladies and gentlemen, whether the gun he had already seen twice was going to be the gun that killed him. He had no pause button. He had no crystal ball. And he had no duty to wait for the first shot. The law does not require perfection from our law enforcement officers. It requires reasonableness.”
Collins urged the panel to find his client not guilty.
State prosecutor Howard Tim Merkle challenged the jury, asking “Who’s got a motive here to deceive?” He contended the defense failed to prove Meade acted in self-defense when he killed Goodson.
“So what evidence is there against the idea, the suggestion that Casey turned and pointed the gun?” Merkle questioned. “We can start with he’s got six shots in his back. They’re not in his front.” Medical evidence showed one of the six gunshot wounds was to Goodson’s side.
No body camera footage captured the incident, and prosecutors maintain Meade stands alone in claiming Goodson held a weapon. Goodson’s relatives and attorneys assert he carried a Subway sandwich bag in one hand and keys in the other when shot. While they acknowledge Goodson may have possessed a firearm, they emphasize he held a valid concealed carry permit.
Investigators discovered Goodson’s gun beneath his body on his grandmother’s kitchen floor with the safety engaged.
