The Louisville Metro Police Department intends to fire two more officers involved in the raid at Breonna Taylor’s apartment and her shooting death.
Lawyers for detectives Joshua Jaynes and Myles Cosgrove confirmed they have been served with pre-termination letters.
“We intend to show up to the pre-termination hearing on Dec. 31 and we’re going to contest this action, although I’m not optimistic about Interim Chief [Yvette] Gentry changing her decision,” said attorney Thomas Clay, who represents Jaynes. “If she doesn’t, we’re going to pursue every legal remedy to overturn this decision.”
Attorney Jarrod Beck, who represents Cosgrove, declined comment.
LMPD officials have not yet responded to a request for the letter. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Jaynes obtained the warrant that allowed LMPD officers to enter and search Taylor’s apartment, which they executed on March 13. Taylor’s boyfriend shot once, later saying he thought they were being robbed, and struck Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, according to LMPD. Three officers — Brett Hankison, Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove — fired back and shot Taylor, who was unarmed.
The investigation showed that Cosgrove and Mattingly’s bullets killed Taylor, according to the Kentucky State police lab.
The search at Taylor’s apartment was based on LMPD’s narcotics investigation into Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover. Jaynes claimed in the affidavit for his search warrant that Taylor was receiving packages intended for Glover, and that the postmaster confirmed that. He has since admitted in court filings that the postmaster didn’t confirm it, calling it an “honest mistake.”
Police investigators found some mail addressed to Glover, but no drugs or related money at Taylor’s apartment.
Jaynes’ actions in obtaining the search warrant have also been the focus of a federal investigation into Taylor’s killing. Clay said he does not know the status of that investigation.
So far, one officer, Hankison, has been fired in connection with the Taylor case. A grand jury indicted him on three counts of wanton endangerment for bullets fired into a neighboring apartment, but he was not charged related to Taylor’s death.
Mattingly’s attorney, Kent Wicker, said Mattingly’s status has not changed. He’s been on administrative reassignment since March.
Jurors who sued for the right to speak publicly about the proceedings said they were not offered the chance to consider any charges against any other officers.
