Four Officers Federally Charged in Breonna Taylor Killing

On Thursday, four officers in Louisville, Kentucky, were charged with connections to the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020. According to NPR, the officers charged are Detective Joshua Jaynes, Sergeant Kyle Meany, former officer Brett Hankison and Detective Kelly Goodlett. The four are being charged with “civil rights violations, conspiracy, use of excessive force offenses and obstruction.”

In a news conference, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that “Jaynes, Meany and Goodlett, lied in order to obtain a warrant they used to search Taylor’s apartment in an act that violated federal civil rights laws and led to Taylor’s death.” NPR reported that the 4th former officer, Hankison, “faces civil rights charges in which he’s accused of using excessive force for firing 10 additional shots into Taylor’s apartment.” The officers, and their attorneys have yet to make any comment.