Two former Louisville officers accused of falsifying a warrant leading to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor had major felony charges dismissed by a federal judge. The judge ruled that Taylor’s boyfriend firing a shot at police, not the warrant, was the legal cause of her death. The ruling reduces the charges against the officers to misdemeanors, with a conspiracy charge against one officer remaining.
The federal charges had been announced by US attorney general Merrick Garland in 2022, accusing the officers of falsifying the warrant and putting Taylor in a dangerous situation. However, the judge found no direct link between the warrant and Taylor’s death, instead attributing it to her boyfriend’s actions during the raid.
The family of Breonna Taylor expressed devastation at the ruling, stating they will continue to fight for justice. The justice department is reviewing the decision and assessing next steps. A third officer involved in the case pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and is expected to testify against the remaining officers at their trials.
The officers had allegedly falsified information on the warrant, claiming a suspected drug dealer was using Taylor’s apartment. The shooting of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, during the raid in 2020 sparked national outrage. A fourth officer involved in the case is scheduled to be retried on charges of endangering lives in October. Walker, Taylor’s boyfriend, had initially been charged with attempted murder but the charge was later dropped.
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