Officer Who Improperly Filled Out Warrant That Led To Breonna Taylor’s Death Wants Job Back

Joshua Jaynes, the officer who improperly filled out the no-knock warrant that resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor is trying to get his job back with the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and testified before the Police Merit Board Thursday.

The ex-LMPD Detective was fired in January along with Detective Myles Cosgrove. Jaynes’ lawyer argued to the board Thursday that Jaynes was terminated before the Professional Standards Investigation was complete and that the facts of the case do not support the decision.

WLKY reported that investigators said the warrant indicated Jaynes confirmed through the United States Postal Service that Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, was receiving packages potentially containing drugs from Taylor’s home. However, interim Chief Yvette Gentry’s termination letter to Jaynes said the information was obtained through another detective and couldn’t be corroborated.

In the board hearing Thursday said he assumed the information he included in the warrant was correct. NBC 3, reported that when Jaynes was asked about the information during the board hearing, he admitted he never verified it. Instead, he asked Sgt. Johnathan Mattingly to verify the information.

During the board hearing, Jaynes admitted he did not speak with anyone at the USPS, but added he didn’t lie on the warrant.

Gentry’s termination letter added Jaynes did not complete an operations plan for the raid, which his lawyer did not dispute, but said it was not an offense that qualifies for termination.

In addition to getting his job back, Jaynes is seeking back pay for the time since he was fired.

Taylor, a former EMT, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep the night of March 13, 2020, when Louisville Metro Police barged into her home with a no-knock warrant in relation to a drug investigation. The noise woke Taylor, who believed someone was trying to break in. Walker, a registered gun owner, fired a shot toward their bedroom door.

The police responded, firing a bevy of shots toward the couple and hitting Taylor five times. The only officer charged in the incident was former detective Brett Hankison, who was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment. Jaynes, Cosgrove, and Mattingly were all fired but not charged.