LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Louisville's Police Department is firing two officers involved in the raid that ended with the killing of Breonna Taylor. The officers are Detective Joshua Jaynes, who sought the warrant on Taylor's apartment, and Myles Cosgrove, who the FBI says fired the fatal bullet. Ryland Barton with Kentucky Public Radio is following the story. Good morning.
RYLAND BARTON: Good morning.
FADEL: So, Ryland, it's been more than eight months since Breonna Taylor was killed. Why is the police department making this decision now versus when she was killed?
BARTON: Right. So these are, as you said, the two officers who played key roles in the raid that - on Breonna Taylor's apartment. Joshua Jaymes - he's the one who acquired the warrant that led officers to her door after midnight. And then Detective Myles Cosgrave, who fired what the FBI considers to be that fatal shot. They've been on paid leave for months. Really, Louisville's interim police chief is determined at this point that, you know, Joshua Jaymes had provided improper information in obtaining that warrant, saying that he had confirmed with the postal inspector that Taylor had been receiving packages involving an ex-boyfriend who was involved in drug dealing and that he actually hadn't made any contact with the post office or determined that. And then in the case of Myles Cosgrove, that he had improperly used use of force. And he was one of other officers who was firing into Taylor's apartment. But the interim police chief determined that he didn't know who his target was and was firing indiscriminately into the apartment.
FADEL: What's been the reaction to this decision? I'm wondering here about those on the police force but also the public, the protesters who've been out there for months now.
BARTON: Right. Well, the - Joshua Jaymes, one of the officers involved - he will be defending himself. And he says that - his lawyer says that he's done nothing wrong and will appeal it. They, you know, say that the police department's already essentially made their determination of it. There will be an administrative hearing over this in the coming days to basically give the officers a chance to respond. But then also the - you know, the protesters - they're - you know, I think that they're frustrated that this has taken so long for this. This has been - you know, one of the rallying cries was to, you know, get the officers involved in this raid fired but also charged. And I think that there's a little bit of satisfaction that, you know, it's moved in that direction but also frustration that it hasn't gone as far as some people are calling for it.
FADEL: Yeah. Now, Breonna Taylor's family and many others have been calling for officers involved in the raid to not just be fired. They want them arrested, criminally charged. How likely is it that this could happen?
BARTON: There is still investigations ongoing. There's a federal investigation into this ongoing. And it will be interesting to see how, you know, this might change, you know, with a new federal administration coming in. You know, there is one officer who was criminally charged with one endangerment, Brett Hankison, earlier this year. But it's still yet to be seen if any more charges come down.
FADEL: That's Ryland Barton of Kentucky Public Radio. Thank you for your coverage.
BARTON: Thank you.
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