4 Kentucky police officers face federal charges in Breonna Taylor killing

The U.S. Justice Department has charged four Kentucky police officers involved in the deadly raid that killed Breonna Taylor with civil rights violations. The fatal shooting of Taylor, a Black 26-year-old medical worker, helped fuel the racial justice protests that rocked the United States in 2020.

Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, told reporters she has waited 874 days — nearly two and a half years — for police to be held accountable.

"Today's overdue, but it still hurts," she said. Lawyers for the family said in a statement that the news was "a huge step toward justice."

Taylor was shot to death on March 13, 2020, by Louisville, Ky., officers who had knocked down her door while executing a search warrant. Taylor's boyfriend fired a shot with a legally owned firearm that hit one of the officers as they came through the door and they returned fire, striking Taylor multiple times.

Federal charges allege that the affidavit used to secure the warrant for Taylor's residence was falsified. The officers who conducted the raid were not involved in that affidavit process, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said while announcing the charges, and were unaware of the alleged falsification.

Officers created 'false story' about raid: Garland

Former Louisville detective Joshua Jaynes and current Sgt. Kyle Meany were charged with civil rights violations and obstruction of justice for using false information to obtain the search warrant, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. Current Det. Kelly Goodlett was charged with conspiring with Jaynes to falsify the warrant and then cover up the falsification.

A fourth officer, former detective Brett Hankison, was charged with civil rights violations for allegedly using excessive force, Garland said.

Garland alleged that in May 2020, Jaynes and Goodlett "met in a garage, where they agreed to tell investigators a false story" concerning the deadly raid.

Meany is also accused of lying to the FBI in an interview about the incident.

Garland said federal officials "share but cannot fully imagine the grief" felt by Taylor's family. 

"Breonna Taylor should be alive today," he said.

Department begins process of firing 2 more officers

Louisville police on Thursday began the process of firing Meany and Goodlett, the department said in a statement. Hankison and Jaynes were previously fired by the department.

Hankison was one of the officers at Taylor's door and one of three who fired shots that night. He is now accused by the Justice Department of using "constitutionally excessive force" in the raid.

Hankison, prosecutors said, moved away from the door, firing 10 shots into Taylor's apartment through a window and a glass door that were covered by blinds and curtains.

Hankison told a Kentucky grand jury that he opened fire once the shooting started. As he saw flashes light up the room, he said he mistakenly believed one of the occupants was firing an assault-style rifle at his colleagues. 

A jury acquitted him of state charges of wanton endangerment earlier this year in Louisville. The lawyer representing Hankison in his previous trial said he planned to surrender to the FBI on the new charge Thursday, but that he would likely contest the charge.

Jaynes, who applied for the warrant to search Taylor's house, was fired in January 2021 by former Louisville Police interim chief Yvette Gentry for violating department standards in the preparation of a search warrant execution and for being "untruthful" in the Taylor warrant.

Justice Department officials said Thursday that a broader investigation into whether the Louisville Police Department engages in a so-called "pattern or practice" of violations of law is ongoing.