LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two Louisville police officers connected to the death of Breonna Taylor will be fired, their attorneys tell WHAS11 News.
Detectives Joshua Jaynes and Myles Cosgrove both received pre-termination notices on Tuesday. They are the second and third LMPD officers to be fired in the Breonna Taylor case. Lonita Baker, the attorney for Breonna Taylor's family, said this is another step towards justice.
"And we're going to continue to fight for justice for Breonna but we are happy and we will take this small victory today," Baker said.
Jaynes sought the search warrant that included Taylor's address, claiming the main suspect of their investigation had been using her apartment as his own since Feb. 20. He is accused of lying to obtain the search warrant on her apartment.
Cosgrove was identified as one of multiple officers executing the warrant at Taylor's apartment the night she died. He fired the shot that killed Breonna Taylor
"Without that search warrant none of the events of March 13 would have been set into action causing the death of Breonna Taylor," Baker said.
Cosgrove's letter has not been released but Jaynes letter outlines violations of preparation for search warrant execution and truthfulness/untruthfulness. His attorney, Thomas Clay, claims the statement made by Jaynes partner during the attorney general's investigation cleared his name.
"I'd heard rumors that it was coming but I was still shocked that LMPD would propose to terminate Detective Joshua Jaynes," Clay said. "Removed any doubt that there was any falsification in that search warrant affidavit."
Clay said they plan to fight back at the pre-termination hearing.
"But we are going to appear and try to talk interim chief gentry out of terminating him," Clay said.
"LMPD Chief Yvette Gentry has initiated disciplinary procedures for officers involved in the Breonna Taylor case, following investigations by LMPD's Professional Standards Unit. State law KRS67c.326 (1) (f) precludes comments from any persons in Louisville Metro Government about the allegations in these cases," Jean Porter, spokesperson for Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, said in a statement.
The River City Fraternal Order of Police also issued a statement, saying:
"The FOP is aware that two of our members received pre-termination opportunity to respond notices today, outlining the chief’s current intent to terminate their employment. In the near future both members will have an opportunity to have a hearing before the chief of police and respond to the information contained in the notices. After those hearings, when the chief makes her final determinations, our members have the right to appeal any discipline that may be issued.
The FOP will continue to coordinate with our members and their attorneys throughout this process."
The officers had been placed on administrative assignment, alongside Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, following Taylor's death on March 13.
An investigation done by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office found that Cosgrove, Mattingly and former detective Brett Hankison all fired into Taylor's apartment after Mattingly was shot by Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. Cameron said a report from the FBI lab found Cosgrove fatally hit Taylor.
In his announcement, Cameron said Mattingly and Cosgrove were "justified" in their use of force the night Taylor died, saying they were responding to Walker's shot.
While Hankison was indicted by the Jefferson County grand jury for firing shots that went into a nearby apartment, Cosgrove did not face any charges. Cameron also said murder charges "are not applicable to the facts before us."
Cameron's investigation did not look into Jayne's search warrant. Instead, the warrant is part of the FBI's independent investigation that has not concluded.
In his affidavit, Jaynes claimed he had observed Taylor's ex-boyfriend, 30-year-old Jamarcus Glover, running a "trap house" at a home on Elliott Ave. The affidavit says Glover would make frequent trips to Taylor's apartment and was once spotting leaving with a USPS package.
Jaynes said he believed Glover had been stashing drugs or money at her apartment to avoid detection from law enforcement.
While the affidavit claimed Jaynes had verified that Glover received packages at Taylor's place, Jaynes said in an interview with LMPD's Public Integrity Unit that he actually asked Mattingly to verify that information.
In the PIU summary written in July, investigators described Jaynes' affidavit wording as "misleading," saying "given Jaynes' statement related to the information" it "should be reviewed for criminal actions."
No drugs or money were found at Taylor's home the night she was killed.
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