DOJ wants charges dismissed against ex-officers in Breonna Taylor case

The Department of Justice asked a federal judge to dismiss a case against the two former officers connected to the Louisville shooting that led to the death of Breonna Taylor.

Taylor, a Black woman, was shot and killed by Louisville police officers carrying out a warrant at her apartment in March 2020. 

The DOJ originally charged Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany in August 2022 under the finding that the officers used excessive force, created false information as a ploy to search Taylor’s home and covered up their wrongdoing. The two were fired from their posts following the accusations. 

Taylor’s death was followed weeks later by George Floyd, a Black man killed in Minneapolis. Both of the deaths led to nationwide outrage and protests condemning targeted police brutality. 

Jaynes and Meany had noted in previous court filings that neither of them was present at the raid that resulted in Taylor’s demise. The dismissal, authored by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert Keenan, mentioned that the court had reduced charges against the officers on multiple counts. 

The DOJ made similar moves last May to drop a lawsuit accusing the Louisville Police Department of unconstitutional policing practices. They also requested a one-day sentence for another Louisville officer convicted in connection with Taylor’s death last July.

“In light of the foregoing proceedings, the Government undertook a further review of this matter. Based on that review, and in the exercise of its discretion, the Government has determined that this case should be dismissed in the interest of justice,” Dhillon and Keenan wrote in the dismissal.

Meany’s attorney, Michael Denbow, told the Courier Journal on Friday that Meany is “incredibly grateful for today’s filing” and was “looking forward to putting this matter behind him and moving on with his life.”

Jayne’s lawyer, Thomas Clay, affirmed to the Courier Journal that Jaynes “did absolutely nothing wrong.” 

“The Department of Justice’s request is not only callous but deeply disrespectful to the memory of Breonna Taylor and to her family, who have waited six long years for justice,” the NAACP’s Louisville Branch said in a statement.  “This action sends a troubling message and risks undermining public trust in our justice system.”

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

More Court Battles News

Senate passes measure prohibiting preferential airport screening for lawmakers

US speeds up deployment of thousands more Marines, sailors to Middle East

GOP senator suggests 2-step move to break DHS funding deadlock 

Judge rules Pentagon press policy under Hegseth unconstitutional 

Senate GOP plows forward on SAVE America Act amid pressure from right

The Memo: Frustrated Trump struggles against perception that he’s losing ...

White House seeks to circumvent Schumer on potential DHS funding deal

Trump says US ‘getting very close’ to meeting Iran objectives ‘as we ...

Obama’s former DHS secretary calls to end shutdown, pointing to Iran threat

Poll shows Paxton beating Cornyn in Texas if Trump doesn’t endorse

Jeffries says Democrats will oppose rule governing spy powers bill

GOP Senate candidate on rising gas prices: ‘Maybe you take one less trip to ...

DHS shutdown stretches to 35 days as Democrats block funding bill

Russia may test Trump’s Cuba’s blockade with oil tankers crossing Atlantic

Supreme Court revives Mississippi evangelist’s challenge to protest ...

Live updates: Senate fails to advance DHS funding; Pentagon deploys thousands ...

Huckabee Sanders says she was asked to leave restaurant because employees felt ...

Boebert on $200B Iran war funding request: ‘I’m not doing that’

© The Hill