Over six years has passed since Breonna Taylor was shot and killed during a botched police raid in Louisville. Now, two of the officers accused of falsifying a warrant connected to the case are back in court, which could finally signal the end of the tragic saga.
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Federal prosecutors under former President Joe Biden initially brought charges against former Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany following an investigation into the March 2020 killing. The two allegedly used false information to obtain a search warrant to enter Taylor’s home. But when multiple officers arrived to her apartment in search of a suspect– who no longer lived there– things took a deadly turn.
Fallout from Taylor’s death along with that of George Floyd in 2020 promised real reform to address police brutality, systemic racism and citizens’ rights in the nation, including a state law being named after Taylor herself. But in President Donald Trump’s second term, a commitment to getting justice for Taylor seems to be the last thing on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) mind.
We previously told you Trump rescinded Biden’s “no-knock” executive order effectively banning no-knock entries citing Taylor’s shocking death. Now, Trump’s DOJ is also hoping to dismiss the ongoing case against ex-officers Meany and Jaynes, marking yet another blow in Taylor’s case.
Federal prosecutors in the Jaynes-Meany case said charges against the disgraced officers should be “dismissed in the interest of justice.” Judges have already reduced a felony charge against both officers to a misdemeanor, arguing that the false warrant did not explicitly cause Taylor’s death. And it wouldn’t be the first time an officer involved in Taylor’s killing only received a slap on the wrist.
Former Louisville officer Brett Hankison was sentenced to 33 months behind bars for his involvement in Taylor’s death. According to officials, Hankison violated Taylor’s civil rights when he fired at least 10 shots into the Black woman’s home through a closed door, none of which reportedly hit Taylor. He began serving time back in October, but he has officially been released citing his ongoing appeal, WLKY News reported.
Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, expressed her disappointment in Trump’s handling of her daughter’s case. On Facebook, she wrote, “Their phone call today informing me that charges against the police are being dropped while implying they have helped me is utterly disrespectful,” Palmer said. “This is the first time I’ve heard from them since they took over and it’s clear they have not served me or Breonna well.”
A lawyer for ex-officer Meany told the Associated Press his client “is looking forward to putting this matter behind him and moving forward with his life.” Meanwhile, attorneys for Taylor’s family said, “Breonna Taylor always deserved more than the scraps of justice she got. Now, even those may be further stripped away.”
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