Breonna Taylor's Mother Condemns DOJ's Move to Dismiss Former Officers' Charges

Tamika Palmer vows to continue fight for justice after federal prosecutors seek to drop civil rights case against two ex-Louisville cops.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 7:15pm

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Tamika Palmer, the mother of Breonna Taylor, has spoken out against the U.S. Department of Justice's motion to dismiss the case with prejudice against two former Louisville Metro Police Department officers accused of falsifying the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant for Taylor's apartment. Palmer said the latest development reflects a longstanding lack of accountability in her daughter's death six years ago during a botched police raid.

Why it matters

The Breonna Taylor case has become a symbol of the ongoing fight for police accountability and racial justice in the United States. Palmer's criticism of the DOJ's decision to drop the charges against the former officers underscores the frustration felt by many who believe the criminal justice system has failed to deliver justice for Breonna Taylor and her family.

The details

In August, the felony civil rights charges against Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany were dismissed. On Friday, the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss the case with prejudice, stating that the move is 'in the best interest of justice.' However, Breonna Taylor's family attorney Lonita Baker strongly rejected this reasoning, arguing that it 'violates their ethical obligations as prosecutors and violates everything we know about the criminal justice system.'

  • Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by officers in her home during a botched police raid six years ago.
  • In August, the felony civil rights charges against Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany were dismissed.
  • On Friday, the DOJ filed a motion to dismiss the case with prejudice against the two former Louisville Metro Police Department officers.

The players

Tamika Palmer

Breonna Taylor's mother, who has been outspoken in her fight for justice for her daughter's death.

Lonita Baker

Breonna Taylor family attorney, who criticized the DOJ's decision to dismiss the case against the former officers.

Joshua Jaynes

Former Louisville Metro Police Department officer accused of falsifying the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant for Breonna Taylor's apartment.

Kyle Meany

Former Louisville Metro Police Department officer accused of falsifying the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant for Breonna Taylor's apartment.

U.S. Department of Justice

The federal agency that filed the motion to dismiss the case with prejudice against the two former Louisville Metro Police Department officers.

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What they’re saying

“There's been a lack of accountability just from the very beginning. I don't understand the people making decisions about whose life matters and who doesn't.”

— Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother

“When you take away, at this point, the consent decree gone, not defending the appeal, the Brett Hankison conviction, and now dismissing the case where there's clear evidence — where another officer agreed to testify, if you can't be held accountable when there's clear evidence as a police officer, when can you be held accountable?”

— Lonita Baker, Breonna Taylor family attorney

“To say that to dismiss the case would be in the interest of justice is violating their ethical obligations as prosecutors and violating everything we know about the criminal justice system. And it only continues to expand the belief that the criminal justice system does not work for everyone the same.”

— Lonita Baker, Breonna Taylor family attorney

“I've never had a lot of hope in this system to begin with. It's just always been a wait and see.”

— Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother

What’s next

The judge will decide whether to grant the DOJ's motion to dismiss the case with prejudice against the former Louisville Metro Police Department officers.

The takeaway

The Breonna Taylor case continues to highlight the ongoing struggle for police accountability and racial justice in the United States, as the family and their supporters express deep frustration with the criminal justice system's failure to deliver justice for Breonna Taylor's death.