Breaking News: Kentucky Judge Dismisses Core Charges Against Two Former Officers Connected to Breonna Taylor’s Death
A Kentucky judge has dropped the most serious charges against two former Louisville police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, sparking outrage and widespread criticism.
According to sources, Judge Annie O’Connell dismissed the wanton endangerment charges against Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officer Brett Hankison on Thursday, citing "insufficient evidence" to move forward with the case.
The decision comes nearly a year after Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot and killed by the officers in her own apartment on March 13, 2020. Taylor’s death has sparked a wave of protests and calls for justice across the country, with many accusing the officers of excessive force and systemic racism.
Breonna Taylor Death Investigation Update
Breonna Taylor News
Breonna Taylor Shooting
Police Brutality News
Kentucky News
Louisville News
Core Charges Dropped, Critics Condemn Decision
The wanton endangerment charges, which carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, were filed against Mattingly and Hankison for firing shots into the apartment next door, where Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was also present. Walker had fired a single shot at the officers when they burst into Taylor’s apartment, believing them to be intruders.
The prosecution had argued that the officers’ use of force was unjustified, citing a warrant that did not specify Breonna Taylor’s apartment and the fact that she was not a threat to anyone. However, the judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove that the officers intentionally endangered Taylor’s neighbor, who was asleep at the time of the shooting.
Reaction to the judge’s decision has been swift and largely negative, with many expressing outrage and disbelief.
"This is a tragic miscarriage of justice," said Brittany Packnett Cunningham, a Black Lives Matter activist. "We will continue to fight for justice for Breonna Taylor and for the safety and well-being of Black women and girls across this country."
FBI Investigation Launched, Protesters Plan to Demonstrate
The FBI is launching an investigation into Taylor’s death, amid widespread calls for accountability and justice. Protesters plan to demonstrate outside the courthouse, where the judge made the decision, in the coming days.
In the meantime, an investigation into the police department’s practices and policies has been launched, sparking concerns about systemic racism and police accountability.
Additional Resources:
For updates on the Breonna Taylor investigation and protests, follow these hashtags:
-
BreonnaTaylor
-
JusticeForBreonnaTaylor
-
PoliceAccountability
-
SystemicRacism
Learn more about the case:
- The Courier-Journal: Judge dismisses most serious charges against officers in Breonna Taylor case
- NPR: Kentucky judge dismisses wanton endangerment charges against officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s death
Read more about the investigation:
- CBS News: FBI launches investigation into Breonna Taylor’s death
- The New York Times: Breonna Taylor’s Death Stokes Frustration and Anger in Louisville
Here's a story we can all agree is bs. The two police officers who falsified the warrant that led to the raid where Breonna Taylor was killed won a major victory when a judge dismissed the main charges against them. The judge said that, even though the falsified warrant led to the raid, it was the boyfriend's shooting that was the reason for shots being fired.
Quick recap of events: two officers falsified a warrant to get a judge to approve a no knock raid. The no knock raid was authorized, but it's unclear if the police carried out the no knock raid or announced their presence. The police and one witness say they knocked and yelled police, but Breonna Taylor's boyfriend said he never heard anything.
The police busted through the door. Breonna Taylor's boyfriend opened fire. He later said he believed it was a home invasion and didn't know they were cops (the boyfriend was initially charged for shooting at the cops, but the charges were dropped due to self defense). The police returned fire, killing Breonna Taylor. None of the cops on scene were charged with her death, though one was for firing randomly into a different apartment. Important to note, the officers who falsified the warrant are different cops than those who conducted the raid
The judge ruled that the falsified warrant didnt start the shooting, the boyfriend did. Which is absurd since the entire raid was because of the falsified warrant.
"A judge in Kentucky has dismissed core charges against two former Louisville police officials involved in the raid that ended in Breonna Taylor's death.
Judge Charles R. Simpson III of western Kentucky's U.S. District Court on Thursday said Taylor's death was triggered by the actions of her boyfriend, who opened fire when police arrived outside her Louisville apartment March 13, 2020.
Regardless of whether former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany wrote and approved a falsified request for a warrant, it was boyfriend Kenneth Walker's gunfire at what he believed were intruders that caused a deadly police response, Simpson said."
"Simpson’s ruling effectively reduced the felony civil rights violation charges against Jaynes and Meany, which had carried a maximum sentence of life in prison, to misdemeanors"
View info-news.info by abqguardian
It’s law in every state that if someone gets killed during a commission of a crime, the criminals are held responsible. This includes anything like a news helicopter crashing on its own while following a chase. It’s ridiculous the cops who lied for the warrant aren’t being treated the same here. They committed a crime in falsfying the warrant. That crime is what caused the raid which resulted in Breonna Taylor’s death. The judge’s ruling letting them off the hook is ridiculous
The protections LEO gets with executing citizens is bonkers.
No knock warrants aren’t valid imo- don’t care what any law says- you’re an intruder then.
There is no severe repercussions for having the wrong house. People have been executed , dogs shot and killed, property damaged- all on shit intel.
I have a hard time believing (minus a hostage situation or something that sort) that a raid is ever needed. Just arrest them as they leave the house. Cut power and utilities and let them rot inside until they come out.
You left out that the boyfriend didn’t merely shoot *at* the cops. He literally *shot* a cop. Just seems tactical to intentionally mislead like that…
Another example of taking liberties with the facts surrounding the case is you pointing out that the specific civil rights violation charges have been reduced to misdemeanors. While that is true, you seem to have intentionally left out that the two officers are still being charged with the *very* serious crimes of falsifying the search warrant and trying to cover it up. Which I believe said is up to 40 years in prison.
The judge essentially ruled that the cops carrying out the no knock warrant are responsible for that process, regardless of possible paperwork errors regarding the warrant. Again, those 2 cops are still getting charged with those crimes of falsifying the warrant. The judge just determined they aren’t responsible for things that could go wrong carrying out the warrant.