LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville activist group is condemning a federal judge's order dismissing the most serious charges against two of the officers in the police killing of Breonna Taylor case.
The letter from the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression on Monday comes 10 days after Judge Charles Simpson's ruling.
The ruling took life in prison without parole off the table for former Louisville Metro Police officers Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, who were accused ofproviding and lying about false information in a search warrant used by police to burst into Taylor's house, resulting in her death in March 2020.
Walker fired a single shot as police busted down the door, saying he thought they were being robbed. Officers fired back, killing Taylor.
But Simpson ruled that the decision by Walker to shoot at police when they burst in the home on March 13, 2020, was the direct cause of her death, not the search warrant.
He dismissed two felony charges against both men that carried a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charges involvedusing a dangerous weapon to deprive Taylor of her Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search.
In his ruling, Simpson said the "tragedy of Breonna Taylor's death and the gravity of her family's grief are not lost on the court."
However, in this case, "the alleged facts do not fit the felony offenses as written."
Jaynes is still facing two felony counts alleging a cover-up after Taylor's death and could be sentenced to a total of 40 years. Meany is facing one charge of lying to the FBI and a maximum of five years in prison.
No trial date has been set.
Prosecutors have argued Jaynes and Meany "drafted and approved what they knew was a false affidavit to support a search warrant for Ms. Taylor's home. That false affidavit set in motion events that led to Ms. Taylor's death when other LMPD officers executed that warrant."
Jaynes and Meany were not present at the raid.
Monday's letter says, in part, "Judge Simpson's decision to incriminate the actual victims who were in their home, while trying to justify the criminal behaviors of Jaynes and Meany is appalling and detrimental to the community which is trying to heal and mend relationships with law enforcement."
Meany and Jaynes still face criminal charges, accused of lying on the warrant for Taylor's home and trying to cover it up.
Most viewed stories on WDRB
Louisville woman arrested after she says Kanye West 'telegraphically' told her to steal car in Evansville
Owners of Hauck's in Schnitzelburg neighborhood purchase Tim Tam Tavern
Street closures released for Mayor's Hike, Bike and Paddle on Labor Day in Louisville
You can read the full letter from theKentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression below:
"The Kentucky Alliance Against Racist And Political Repression strongly condemns the Thursday August 22, 2024 court ruling by Federal Judge Charles Simpson III dismissing the civil rights charges against former Louisville Metro Police Department officers Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany. They were previously charged with a violation of Breonna Taylor’s civil rights to be free from an unreasonable search.
The ruling by Judge Simpson found that Kenneth Walker was responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death, not the officers, because he fired a shot at police. The judge chose to overlook that Mr. Walker feared that there were intruders trying to get into the apartment in the early morning hours.
Judge Simpson’s decision to incriminate the actual victims who were in their home, while trying to justify the criminal behaviors of Jaynes and Meany, is appalling and detrimental to the community which is trying to heal and mend relationships with law enforcement.
The decision is based on a false narrative and totally distorts the factors involved in Breonna Taylor’s death. LMPD lied, cheated, murdered an innocent person in her own apartment and obstructed efforts to bring about justice afterwards. They later tried to criminalize Mr. Walker for doing something that is not illegal, i.e. acting in self-defense of himself and Breonna Taylor in their home.
Contrary to the police account, neighbors of Breonna reported that the police did not announce themselves prior to trying to break in thus providing proof to the self-defense claim Mr. Walker acted upon believing someone was breaking into the residence. Judge Simpson’s ruling is insulting and hurtful to her family and everyone who raised their voices in the community and world abroad about the injustice that caused the murder of Breonna Taylor.
The bottom line is that LMPD lied to obtain a no-knock search warrant and without that they would not have been at her apartment. The person sought on drug charges, an ex-boyfriend of Breonna, was already in custody before the raid occurred. There was no trace of any drugs or money found in her apartment. The fact is that these were two innocent people who had no reason to expect the police to burst into their home in the middle of night.
Kentucky is a "stand your ground" state and that doesn't seem to be applicable to Black people. The decision shows it wasn't applicable to Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker on March 13, 2020. According to "stand your ground" Kenneth Walker, who is a licensed gun owner, has every right to defend his home with his legal weapon.
There are various steps in the chain of causation leading to Breonna’s death, but a self-defense shot was not one of them. Lying to secure a warrant, false testimonies, corrupt LMPD officers, a corrupt judge, and a system of unchecked behaviors, was at the root of it all.
Breonna Taylor paid the ultimate price for police violence, and the other victim here, Kenneth Walker, is being unjustifiably blamed for her death. This additional injustice adds another layer of insult to injury inflicted on our community at large.
While Jaynes and Meany still face some charges, Judge Simpson’s ruling demonstrates that, once again, the efforts to hold the police fully accountable for criminal acts in this oppressive racist system in which we live seem hopeless. But we will continue to organize and fight knowing that the power of the people will win.
Signed: The Board of Directors of The KY Alliance Against Racist And Political Repression"
Previous Coverage:
- Federal judge dismisses most serious charges against 2 officers involved in Breonna Taylor raid
- Federal charges in Breonna Taylor case highlight focus of broader DOJ investigation into Louisville police
- 4 former and current Louisville police detectives federally charged in Breonna Taylor raid
- TRANSCRIPT | US Attorney General announces federal charges in death of Breonna Taylor
- TIMELINE | Step-by-step look at Breonna Taylor case, from her death to 4 officers facing federal charges
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
