Justice Dept. Seeks to Drop Charges Against Officers in Breonna Taylor's Death

The motion comes as communities mark the six-year anniversary of the 26-year-old Black medical worker's tragic killing.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 10:05am

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The Justice Department has asked a federal judge to drop the remaining criminal charges against two Louisville, Kentucky, police officers involved in drafting the no-knock search warrant that led to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in 2020. The death of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black medical worker, was one of the main drivers of wide-scale protests that erupted in 2020 over policing and racial injustice in the United States.

Why it matters

The Justice Department's motion to drop the charges against the officers is seen as highly controversial, as Taylor's death was a pivotal moment in the nationwide reckoning over police brutality and racial inequities in the criminal justice system.

The details

In 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland charged four members of the Louisville Metro Police, including the two officers whose charges may now be dropped, Kyle Meany and Joshua Jaynes. However, a federal judge last August threw out the most serious charges against the two officers, saying the government could not prove their actions directly led to Taylor's death. The Justice Department is now asking the court to dismiss the remaining lesser charges 'in the interest of justice'.

  • Breonna Taylor was killed on March 13, 2020.
  • The Justice Department charged four Louisville police officers in 2022.
  • A federal judge threw out the most serious charges against two officers in August 2022.
  • The Justice Department filed the motion to drop the remaining charges on March 21, 2026.

The players

Breonna Taylor

A 26-year-old Black medical worker who was fatally shot by Louisville police during a botched no-knock raid on her apartment in 2020.

Kyle Meany

One of the Louisville police officers charged by the Justice Department in connection with Taylor's death, whose charges may now be dropped.

Joshua Jaynes

One of the Louisville police officers charged by the Justice Department in connection with Taylor's death, whose charges may now be dropped.

Merrick Garland

The U.S. Attorney General who charged the four Louisville police officers in 2022 for their actions leading to Taylor's death.

Kristen Clarke

The former head of the Justice Department's civil rights division when the case against the officers was brought.

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What they’re saying

“This move is indefensible and unsupported by the facts and the law.”

— Kristen Clarke, Former head of the Justice Department's civil rights division

What’s next

The federal judge will decide whether to grant the Justice Department's motion to drop the remaining charges against the two Louisville police officers.

The takeaway

The Justice Department's attempt to drop the charges against the officers involved in Breonna Taylor's death is seen as a controversial move that undermines efforts to hold law enforcement accountable for racial injustice and police brutality.