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The case of Breonna Taylor has become representative not only of the pervasive nature of police extralegal punishment of African Americans but the slow and plodding nature of the criminal justice system. The decision of the United States Justice Department to charge the four officers involved in the Breonna Taylor raid signals to her family and social activists that justice has been served.
Taylor, a 26-year-old African American woman, was fatally shot by police on March 13, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky. Seven police officers forcefully entered her apartment using a no-knock warrant with the incorrect information involving her ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover.
Taylor’s current boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, mistook the police for intruders and fired one shot at them. In response, police fired 32 shots in return, 6 of which hit Taylor. Walker was not hurt. The police never searched the house. No drugs were found in the residence.
Attorney General Merrick Garland issued federal charges against four members of the Louisville Police Department. The defendants are Joshua Jaynes, Kyle Meany, Kelly Goodlett, and Brett Hankinson.
The federal charges presented by the federal grand jury included civil rights offenses, unlawful conspiracy, obstruction offenses, and use of excessive force.
According to the Justice Department’s indictment, Jaynes and a current police officer, Sgt. Kyle Meany knew that the affidavit to obtain the search warrant contained “false, misleading, and out-of-date” information. Nonetheless, Meany proceeded to enforce the warrant.
"We allege that the defendants knew their actions in falsifying the affidavit could create a dangerous situation, and we allege these unlawful acts resulted in Ms. Taylor's death," Garland said.
Brett Hankinson, who fired ten shots on the apartment's windows and glass doors, was acquitted by a jury of endangering residents as some bullets entered adjacent homes.
The prosecutors also stated that Mr. Janes and Officer Kelly Goodlett met at a parking lot days after the shooting to develop a cover story for the falsified affidavit in Breonna Taylor’s murder
They "took steps to cover up their unlawful conduct" and "conspired to mislead federal, state and local authorities who were investigating the incident," Garland said.
“Today’s action is overdue, but it still hurts. They shouldn’t have been there, and Breonna didn’t deserve that,” Tamika Palmer, Breonna’s mother, said at the news conference following the federal charges.
“Breonna Taylor should still be alive,” Garland announced after the charges. Moreover, the Justice Department has launched a civil investigation to look into the policies and practices of the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Kentucky’s Attorney General, Daniel Cameron, also posted a series of tweets following the announcement. “At the conclusion of our investigation, our prosecutors submitted the information to a state grand jury, which ultimately resulted in criminal charges being brought against Mr. Brett Hankison for wanton endangerment,” he tweeted. “I’m proud of the work of our investigators and prosecutors.”
Taylor's family expressed a sense of relief regarding the verdict. Her untimely death sparked rage and anger within the Black community. Several online petitions went viral demanding “Justice for Breonna Taylor.” Taylor’s death sparked nationwide protests. She has become an enduring symbol of the fight to obtain justice in cases of extrajudicial killing of unarmed Black citizens. The indictment of these four officers is a hopeful step in the right direction in addressing this scourge.