Charges Dropped Against Officers in Breonna Taylor Killing

Federal judge approves Justice Department request to dismiss remaining criminal charges against two Louisville police officers

Mar. 28, 2026 at 10:05am

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A federal judge has agreed to drop the remaining criminal charges against two Louisville, Kentucky, police officers who were involved in drafting the no-knock search warrant that led to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor by police officers in 2020. The judge approved a request by the Justice Department to dismiss the charges with prejudice, meaning the officers cannot be charged in the same case later.

Why it matters

The death of Breonna Taylor was one of the main drivers of widespread protests in 2020 over police violence and racial injustice. This decision to drop charges against the officers involved further erodes efforts to hold law enforcement accountable for Taylor's killing and raises concerns about the federal government's commitment to addressing discrimination and police brutality against Black Americans.

The details

Prosecutors had accused officers Kyle Meany and Joshua Jaynes of falsifying records to make it appear as if Taylor had a connection to criminal activity. Neither was present at the shooting, but their actions in obtaining the no-knock warrant were seen as contributing to Taylor's death. No drugs were found in the raid on Taylor's home, where she was shot six times by police who fired more than 30 bullets into the apartment.

  • Breonna Taylor was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky in March 2020.
  • In 2022, Kelly Goodlett pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related to falsifying the affidavit to obtain the warrant.
  • Last week, the Trump administration asked the court to dismiss the charges against Meany and Jaynes 'in the interest of justice.'

The players

Breonna Taylor

A 26-year-old Black emergency room worker who was killed by police executing a no-knock search warrant at her apartment in 2020.

Kyle Meany

One of the Louisville police officers involved in drafting the no-knock search warrant that led to Breonna Taylor's death.

Joshua Jaynes

One of the Louisville police officers involved in drafting the no-knock search warrant that led to Breonna Taylor's death.

Tamika Palmer

Breonna Taylor's mother, who denounced the decision to drop charges against the officers.

Harmeet K. Dhillon

The head of the Justice Department's civil rights division under the Trump administration, who asked a federal judge to sentence a Louisville police officer convicted in Breonna Taylor's killing to just one day in prison.

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What they’re saying

“Breonna Taylor was killed because of their lies and negligence, and somebody should be held accountable for that.”

— Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The Justice Department under the Biden administration had previously charged four members of the Louisville Metro Police for actions that led to Breonna Taylor's killing. It remains to be seen if federal prosecutors will pursue any further charges in the case.

The takeaway

The decision to drop charges against the officers involved in Breonna Taylor's death is a setback in efforts to hold law enforcement accountable for police violence and racial injustice. It underscores the shifting priorities of the federal government on civil rights issues under different administrations.