The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion on March 20 asking a federal judge to drop charges against two former Louisville Metro Police officers involved in drafting the warrant used in the botched raid that killed Breonna Taylor in 2020.
The Department of Justice charged Kyle Meany and Joshua Jaynes in 2022, with then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland saying "Breonna Taylor should be alive today" as he announced charges against them and two other LMPD officers.
However, sinceDonald Trumpreturned to the White House and shook up the Justice Department, federal prosecutors have visibly changed their posture regarding the charges related to Taylor's death, starting with theDOJ requesting a one-day sentencefor former detective Brett Hankison after ajury found him guiltyof violating the 26-year-old ER technician's civil rights.
In the March 20 motion, which was filed on behalf of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert Keenan, the DOJ mentioned how the court had previouslydowngraded the most serious charges against Meany and Jaynes.
"In light of the foregoing proceedings, the Government undertook a further review of the matter. Based on that review, and the exercise of its discretion, the Government has determined that this case should be dismissed in the interest of justice pursuant to Rule 48(a)," the DOJ wrote, referencing a criminal procedure rule whereby the government can dismiss an indictment or complaint against a defendant.
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The DOJ is asking the case be dismissed "with prejudice" — meaning if the motion is granted, it cannot be prosecuted again.
Thomas Clay,the high-powered Louisville attorney representing Jaynes, appeared to be holding back tears of joy when The Courier Journal called. He requested to give a statement to the paper later, but said Jaynes "did absolutely nothing wrong."
Meany's attorney, Michael Denbow, said his client is "incredibly grateful for today's filing" and was "looking forward to putting this matter behind him and moving on with his life."
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LMPD fired Jaynes in 2021 for violatingLMPD's truthfulness and search warrant preparation policiesbylying on the search warrant for Taylor's apartment.
The department terminated Meany in August 2022after he was federally indicted. Thefederal indictment allegedMeany knew false, misleading and out-of-date information was used to get a warrant for Taylor's apartment.
In an opinion downgrading charges against the pair last August, District Judge Charles Simpson III wrote that Taylor's boyfriend firing his gun when the door to Taylor's apartment burst open "directly led to Taylor's fatal wounding by drawing return fire."
Separately, Hankison was sentenced to 33 months in prison in prison in July 2025 for shots he fired during the raid, but in December, afederal judge ordered him to be released pending his appeal process.TheDOJ had asked the court to release Hankisonfrom prison during his appeal process.
A fourth former LMPD officer, Kelly Goodlett,pleaded guilty to helping falsify an affidavit for the warrantas part of a 2022 plea deal. However, she has not been sentenced.
The DOJ's March 20 motion to dismiss came exactly six years and one week after Taylor was shot dead in her apartment.
In a statement, the NAACP Louisville Branch condemned the motion, saying it was "not only callous, but disrespectful to the memory of Breonna Taylor and to her family, who have waited six long years for justice."
The organization added the move "sends a troubling message and risks undermining public trust in our justice system."
Reach Josh Wood at jwood@courier-journal.com
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal:Breonna Taylor case DOJ seeks to drop charges against Meany, Jaynes