A federal judge has ruled that Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend was responsible for the beloved EMT’s death.

From the case, the judge also dismissed major felony charges against two former Louisville officers accused of falsifying a warrant that led police to Breonna Taylor’s door before they fatally shot her.

Judge rules Breonna Taylor’s death was not from warrant

U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson’s ruling declared that the actions of Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker, who fired a shot at police the night of the raid, were the legal cause of her death, not a warrant.

Charges dismissed

Federal charges against former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany were filed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022. Garland accused Jaynes and Meany, who were not present at the botched raid, of knowing they had falsified part of the warrant and put Taylor in a precarious situation by sending armed officers to her apartment.

But Simpson wrote in the Aug 27 Tuesday ruling that “there is no direct link between the warrantless entry and Taylor’s death.” Simpson’s ruling effectively reduced the civil rights violation charges against Jaynes and Meany, which had carried a maximum sentence of life in prison, to misdemeanors.

The judge did not dismiss the conspiracy charge against Jaynes and another charge against Meany, who is accused of making false statements to investigators.

Botched raid

When police executed a drug warrant and broke down Taylor’s door in March 2020, Walker fired a shot that struck an officer in the leg. Walker said he believed an intruder was bursting in. Officers returned fire, striking and killing 26-year-old Taylor in her hallway.

Simpson resolved that Walker’s “conduct became the proximate, or legal, cause of Taylor’s death.”

“While the indictment alleges that Jaynes and Meany set off a series of events that ended in Taylor’s death, it also alleges that (Walker) disrupted those events when he decided to open fire” on the police, Simpson wrote.

Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend lawsuit

Walker was initially arrested and charged with attempted murder of a police officer.

The charge was later dismissed after his attorneys successfully argued Walker didn’t know he was firing at police.

He later filed a federal lawsuit against the city and police and received a $2 million settlement.

CBS reports a U.S. Justice Department spokesperson confirmed to the news outlet that the department is reviewing the judge’s decision and assessing next steps.

Tonika Johnson is spearheading UnBlocked Englewood, an inspiring initiative aimed to rejuvenate the Chicago neighborhood, by renovating homes of long-standing residents and transforming vacant lots.

The initiative has already refurbished 12 homes, with plans to revitalize 13 more. To support this vibrant community makeover, a GoFundMe has been launched, aiming to gather the resources needed for these vital improvements.

“By providing immediate support to homeowners, we foster a sense of community and create lasting social impact,” the fundraiser reads.

About UnBlocked Englewood

UnBlocked Englewood is an arts-driven community redevelopment initiative in partnership with the Chicago Bungalow Association and Englewood Arts Collective. They have already successfully repaired 12 homes, with 13 more to go. They also recently installed a new block club sign and a vibrant mural on one of the repaired homes. By providing immediate support to homeowners, they foster a sense of community and create lasting social impact.

Fundraiser

“Your donation will help us preserve the neighborhood’s character and increase home values, demonstrating that community redevelopment and public art can transform historically neglected areas. Join us in making a tangible difference—restoring denied equity one home repair and vacant lot beautification at a time”, Johnson says.

Christopher Dunn spent 34 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. He spent more than half of his life in prison. Now at 52, a GoFundMe has been started to help Chris re-enter society. More than $35,000 has been raised by the community.

The case

Dunn was 18 years old when he was wrongly convicted of the May 18, 1990 murder of Ricco Rogers, 15, in St. Louis, Missouri. Despite no physical evidence linking Dunn to the crime, his conviction was largely based on the word of two boys who recanted their stories years ago. Chris has been fighting for his freedom for more than three decades – and, on July 30, 2024, he finally returned home after St. Louis City Judge Jason Sengheiser found him actually innocent and ordered his release.

He not only had the support of the Midwest Innocence Project, but also St. Louis’ top prosecutor. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office filed a motion to vacate Dunn’s conviction and presented evidence that Dunn has spent more than half of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Christopher Dunn’s innocence has been known for years

In 2020, a Missouri circuit court judge, after hearing all the evidence, determined that no juror would convict, but he was unable to free Dunn because in Missouri, innocence alone is not enough to overturn a person’s conviction unless they were sentenced to death. Missouri is the only state in the nation to limit innocence claims by a person’s sentence.

For Dunn, that meant he would have been freed in 2020 had he been sentenced to die. Instead, he remained behind bars for four additional years because he was sentenced to life in prison plus 90 years. Previously under Missouri law, only a prosecutor can ask a court to free an innocent person who was sentenced to anything less than death.

Life after false imprisonment

Dunn is now a free man but the real works begins as he rebuilds his life. The family has started a GoFundMe to help with this initiative.

‘Your support will help Chris re-enter society with some financial resources. Chris’ legal team is working pro bono and 100% of the funds raised here will go to him to help him rebuild his life. He needs our help.”

To donate or find out more, please visit the GoFundMe fundraiser.