The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday that the four former Louisville Metro Police Department officers involved in the avoidable death of Breonna Taylor were arrested and are facing federal charges. Former officers Kelly Hanna Goodlett, Joshua Jaynes and Sgt. Kyle Meany was charged with violation of civil rights. Former officer Brett Hankison was charged with two civil rights offenses.
According to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the three officers charged with civil rights violations deprived Taylor of her Fourth Amendment rights by falsifying the affidavit to obtain a search warrant for Taylor’s property. The officers conspired and gave false information to justify their heinous actions, misleading state, federal, and local authorities during the investigation.
The unlawful and deadly search on March 13, 2020, was among the LMPD’s investigation of drug trafficking in the West area of Louisville. Jaynes and Goodlett alleged that they were informed Taylor’s ex-boyfriend was receiving packages at her apartment. Jaynes testified under oath that he confirmed the information with the U.S. postal inspector.
However, the postal inspector and Sgt. Johnathan Mattingly confirmed that they both informed Jaynes that a package wasn’t sent to Taylor’s apartment. Goodlett backed Jaynes despite both of them knowing there wasn’t a package. Officials alleged that Meany knew the information on the affidavit was false and lied to the FBI during their investigation.
Officials also allege that Jaynes and Goodlett secretly met in a garage to get their false stories straight.
Hankison’s two counts of civil rights charges stem from him using unnecessary and excessive force during the incident. Two officers fired 22 shots in the apartment; one of the bullets hit Taylor and killed her at the scene. After her death, Hankison moved to another side of her apartment, firing an additional ten shots.
The officers not mentioned and who executed the search did not know about and had no part in the false affidavit. Upon breaking down Taylor’s front door to her apartment, her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, thought the officers were intruders and fired one shot, which struck Mattingly. The justice department also confirmed that Walker legally possessed his firearm.
