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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 5 august 2022
Feds charge 4 police officers in fatal Breonna Taylor raid

By DYLAN LOVAN by Meany, said Jaynes had
Associated Press confirmed with the postal
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The service that packages for
federal government filed the ex-boyfriend, Jamar-
civil rights charges Thursday cus Glover, were going to
against four Louisville po- Taylor’s apartment. Inves-
lice officers over the drug tigators later learned that
raid that led to the death Jaynes had not confirmed
of Breonna Taylor, a Black that with the postal inspec-
woman whose fatal shoot- tor.
ing helped fuel the racial Jaynes was fired in Janu-
justice protests that rocked ary 2021 for violating de-
the nation in 2020. partment standards in the
The charges are another preparation of a search
effort to hold law enforce- warrant execution and for
ment accountable for the being “untruthful” in the
killing of the 26-year-old Taylor warrant.
medical worker after one Jaynes and Goodlett al-
of the officers was acquit- legedly conspired to falsify
ted of state charges earlier an investigative document
this year. that was written after Tay-
“Breonna Taylor should be lor’s death, Garland said.
alive today,” Attorney Gen- Federal investigators also
eral Merrick Garland said in allege that Meany, who
announcing the charges, testified at Hankison’s trial,
which include unlawful lied to the FBI during its in-
conspiracy, use of force Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, with vestigation.
and obstruction of justice. Attorney General Merrick Garland, speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice Federal officials filed a
The charges named former in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. separate charge against
officers Joshua Jaynes and Associated Press Goodlett, alleging she con-
Brett Hankison, along with spired with Jaynes to falsify
current officers Kelly Good- Breonna Taylor!” 2020. Members of the grand two deprivation-of-rights Taylor’s warrant affidavit.
lett and Sgt. Kyle Meany. “This is a day when Black jury later came forward to charges alleging he used Garland alleged that
Most of the charges stem women saw equal justice complain that Cameron’s excessive force when he Jaynes and Goodlett met
from the faulty drug war- in America,” family lawyer office had steered them retreated from Taylor’s in a garage in May 2020
rant used to search Taylor’s Benjamin Crump said. away from charges for the door, turned a corner and “where they agreed to tell
home. Taylor’s mother, Tamika other officers involved in fired 10 shots into the side investigators a false story.”
Hankison was the only of- Palmer, said she has waited the raid. of her two-bedroom apart- Former Louisville Police Sgt.
ficer charged Thursday nearly 2 1/2 years for police “Thank God that Kentucky ment. John Mattingly, who was
who was on the scene that to be held accountable. Attorney General Daniel Bullets flew into a neigh- shot at Taylor’s door, retired
night. Louisville police said “Today’s overdue, but it Cameron did not get the bor’s apartment, nearly last year.
they are seeking to fire still hurts,” she said. “You all last word in regard to jus- striking one man. Another officer, Myles Cos-
Goodlett and Meany. (are) learning today that tice for Breonna Taylor,” He was acquitted by a jury grove, who investigators
Taylor was shot to death by we’re not crazy.” Crump said Thursday. “We of state charges earlier this said fired the shot that killed
officers who knocked down The Justice Department have always said this was a year in Louisville. Taylor, was dismissed from
her door while executing is also conducting a non- conspiracy to cover up the A separate indictment said the department in Janu-
a search warrant. Taylor’s criminal investigation of death of Breonna Taylor. Jaynes and Meany both ary 2021. Taylor’s boyfriend,
boyfriend fired a shot that the Louisville Police De- Today the Justice Depart- knew the warrant used Kenny Walker, who was in
hit one of the officers as partment, announced last ment put forth the charg- to search Taylor’s home her apartment that night
they came through the year, that is probing wheth- ing documents to show we had information that was and fired the shot at Mat-
door, and they returned er the department has a weren’t crazy.” “false, misleading and out tingly, was initially charged
fire, striking Taylor multiple pattern of using excessive Cameron, a Republican of date.” Both are charged with attempted murder of
times. force and conducting un- running for governor next with conspiracy and depri- a police officer but that
Local activists and mem- reasonable search and sei- year, said in announcing vation of rights. charge was dropped after
bers of Taylor’s family cel- zures.In the protests of 2020, the indictment against Meany ran a police unit Walker told investigators
ebrated the charges and Taylor’s name was often Hankison in September that focused on aggressive he thought an intruder was
thanked federal officials. shouted along with George 2020 that he would leave drug investigations. Police breaking into the apart-
Supporters gathered in Floyd, who was killed less “issues regarding potential served five warrants simul- ment.
a downtown park and than three months after civil rights violations” to fed- taneously the night of the The Taylor case also
chanted: “Say her name, Taylor by a Minneapolis po- eral officials to investigate. Taylor raid, four of them in a prompted a review of the
lice officer in a videotaped Cameron had not respond- concentrated area where city’s “no-knock” warrant
encounter that shocked ed to a request for com- drug activity was suspect- policy. Officers at Taylor’s
the nation. ment Thursday afternoon. ed, and the fifth at Taylor’s door said they knocked
Protesters who took to the Garland said the officers apartment nearly 10 miles and announced they were
streets over months in Lou- who were at Taylor’s home (16 kilometers) away. police even though the
isville were especially criti- just after midnight on The warrant for Taylor’s warrant didn’t require that.
cal of Kentucky Attorney March 13, 2020, “were not house alleged that she was Those types of warrants,
General Daniel Cameron, involved in the drafting of receiving packages for used in drug investigations
who presented only wan- the warrant, and were un- a suspected drug dealer to attempt to prevent the
ton endangerment charg- aware of the false and mis- who was a former boy- destruction of evidence,
es against Hankison for a leading statements.” friend. The warrant, signed were later banned in the
facebook.com/arubatoday/ grand jury to consider in Hankison was indicted on by Jaynes and approved city of Louisville.q