A federal judge has dismissed major felony charges against two former Louisville police officers accused of falsifying a warrant that led to Breonna Taylor’s death, ruling that her boyfriend’s decision to fire at police was the legal cause of the tragedy. The ruling diminishes the federal charges against Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany, who were accused of civil rights violations in connection with the fatal 2020 raid.
U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson’s decision centers on the argument that Kenneth Walker, Taylor’s boyfriend, disrupted the chain of events when he fired at officers, thinking they were intruders. The shot, which struck an officer in the leg, prompted police to return fire, killing Taylor. The judge stated that Walker’s actions became the “proximate cause” of Taylor’s death, not the allegedly falsified warrant that initiated the raid.
The officers had been facing potentially life-altering charges brought by the Department of Justice, with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland accusing them of knowingly including false information in the warrant. However, Judge Simpson concluded that while Jaynes and Meany may have set the events in motion, Walker’s conduct was the determining factor in the outcome.
Taylor’s family, expressing frustration and sorrow over the ruling, vowed to continue fighting for justice and announced that an appeal is in the works. The Department of Justice also indicated that it is reviewing the judge’s decision.
This ruling represents a significant development in a case that has been a flashpoint for national debates on police accountability, sparking protests and calls for reform across the country.
