Just In || Police officers charged in connection of the raid that killed Breonna Taylor

Photo: change.org

Four police officers in Louisville, Kentucky have been charged with violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights in a 2020 botched raid that led to the death of the young woman according to federal officials.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in a press conference that the charges according to the Justice Department alleges the violations that took place “resulted in Ms. Taylor’s death.”

Detective Joshua Jaynes with the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department obtained a no-knock warrant used in the March 13, 2020 search of Taylor’s apartment.

Jaynes, Kelly Goodlett along with Sgt. Kyle Meany who supervised the unit were charged with falsifying an affidavit. Garland alleged that Jaynes and Goodlett met in a garage in May 2020 “where they agreed to tell investigators a false story.”

In a separate indictment, Brett Hankison was charged with using excessive force while executing a search warrant.

During the raid, officers opened fire, killing Taylor after her boyfriend fired a gun toward the door believing an intruder was trying to break in.

Garland went on to say that “Taylor’s boyfriend lawfully possessed the gun and after he fired and struck an officer, two of the officers then fired 22 shots, one of which fatally struck Taylor in the chest.”

“The federal charges announced today allege that members of the Place-Based Investigations unit falsified the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant of Ms. Taylor’s home,” Garland said, adding “that this act violated federal civil rights laws and that those violations resulted in Ms. Taylor’s death.”

Garland also said the search warrant was sought while officers knew they lacked probably cause. Jaynes and Goodlett “falsely claimed officers verified the target of the alleged drug trafficking had received packages at Taylor’s address. Defendants Jaynes and Goodlett knew that was not true.”

The bungled raid targeted Taylor’s ex-boyfriend who is a convicted drug dealer, but was not in the apartment at the time. That man is Jamarcus Glover and has stated previously that Taylor had no involvement in the drug trade.

The officers involved in the raid were unaware of the misleading statements in the search warrant affidavit, Garland said.

This is an ongoing story. Check back for updates.

Source:  Department of Justice