Judge Simpson Rules Taylor’s Boyfriend Caused Her Death, A federal judge has dropped several felony charges against two former Louisville, Kentucky officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.

On Thursday, Western Kentucky Circuit Court Judge Charles Simpson dismissed charges of “aiding and abetting a violation of Taylor’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from an unreasonable search” against Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany.

These charges had been brought forward by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2022 as part of a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding Taylor’s tragic death.

Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, was shot and killed in her apartment on March 13, 2020, during a botched police raid executed with a no-knock warrant.

The incident sparked national outrage, becoming a flashpoint in the larger Black Lives Matter movement and protests against police brutality.

Taylor’s death continues to be a source of deep pain for her family and a symbol of the systemic issues within law enforcement.

The charges against Jaynes and Meany stemmed from the belief that they played a critical role in the illegal and unreasonable search that led to Taylor’s death.

However, Judge Simpson’s ruling effectively absolved them of this particular responsibility, finding that there was not a direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylor’s death.

In his decision, Simpson ruled that Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was ultimately the cause of her death because he fired a shot at officers during their unannounced entry.

“There is no direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylor’s death,” wrote Simpson in his ruling.

He emphasized that Walker’s decision to fire at officers was the proximate cause of the fatal exchange. “[Walker’s] decision to open fire, as alleged and argued, was the natural and probable consequence of executing the warrant at 12:45 a.m. on ‘an unsuspecting household.’

That decision prompted the return fire which hit and killed Taylor,” Simpson added.

This ruling has reignited debate over the circumstances that led to Taylor’s death, particularly around the contentious issue of no-knock warrants. Walker, who was in the apartment with Taylor when officers broke down the door, testified that both he and Taylor asked the police to identify themselves before he fired a warning shot.

Walker, who legally owned a firearm, believed they were being invaded and shot once in what he later described as an attempt to defend himself and Taylor. The police responded with a barrage of gunfire, hitting and killing Taylor.

In court, Walker recalled the terrifying moments after the shooting, describing how he frantically called 911, still believing they were being attacked by criminals.

After the gunfire ceased, he testified that an officer approached him and asked if he had been shot. When Walker replied that he hadn’t been hit, the officer allegedly responded, “Well, that’s unfortunate.”

Simpson’s ruling also stated that, even if the warrantless entry had been the legal cause of Taylor’s death, Jaynes and Meany could still be exonerated if the court found that Walker’s actions constituted an intervening event that was the proximate cause of the tragedy.

This complex legal argument places responsibility for the fatal shooting on Walker’s attempt to defend himself, rather than on the officers’ actions that led to the confrontation.

Following Simpson’s decision, Meany’s attorney, Brian Butler, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

“We are pleased by the Court’s ruling,”

he said in a statement to CNN, adding that the “alleged facts do not fit the … felony offenses as written.” The ruling represents a significant legal victory for Jaynes and Meany, though other officers involved in the case are still facing legal repercussions.

Among those officers is Kelly Goodlett, a former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) detective, who pleaded guilty in 2022 to charges of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in death and conspiracy.

Goodlett admitted to falsifying information on the search warrant for Taylor’s apartment, which was a critical element in the wrongful raid that led to her death.

Another former LMPD officer, Brett Hankison, was charged with deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in death. Hankison faced trial, but the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, leading to a mistrial. He is set to face a new trial in October.

The fallout from the botched raid and Taylor’s death has led to widespread calls for reform in Louisville and across the country. In 2022, Kenneth Walker received a $2 million settlement from the city of Louisville as part of a lawsuit stemming from the raid.

The settlement acknowledged the trauma and suffering caused by the wrongful raid and Walker’s subsequent arrest, although it did not resolve all questions of accountability for Taylor’s death.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicated that it is reviewing Judge Simpson’s decision and is considering its next steps. In a statement to The Daily Beast, a DOJ spokesperson said the department is carefully evaluating the ruling and will determine the best course of action moving forward.

Breonna Taylor’s family and their supporters continue to demand justice for her death, arguing that no one has been fully held accountable for the chain of events that led to her being killed in her own home.

Attorney Ben Crump, who has represented both Walker and Taylor’s family, has been a prominent voice in calling for further investigation and accountability, though he has not yet commented on Simpson’s ruling.

As the legal battles surrounding Breonna Taylor’s death continue, her name remains a powerful reminder of the urgent need for systemic changes in policing and the criminal justice system. The dismissal of these charges is only one chapter in an ongoing fight for justice, transparency, and reform.