Joshua Jaynes: Ex-LMPD detective begins effort to get his job back

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - An officer fired for his role in the Breonna Taylor raid is fighting to get his job back.

LMPD’s then-interim chief Yvette Gentry fired Joshua Jaynes in January after it was determined he had included false information on the search warrant that led to the deadly raid at Taylor’s apartment last year.

Jaynes was fired for one line that was written into the warrant: “The affiant verified through the U.S. Postal inspector” that Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, drug suspect Jamarcus Glover, was receiving packages at her apartment.

Jaynes said at a merit board hearing Thursday that he had made assumptions about the information given to him that he later included in the warrant. When asked if assumptions were enough to determine probable cause, he said he had no reason to doubt the information given to him, but acknowledged he never verified it himself.

Jaynes had asked Sgt. Jon Mattingly to verify it for him. But when Jaynes wrote the affidavit for the warrant, he didn’t mention Mattingly specifically, and simply wrote “affiant.”

That distinction, Gentry determined, made the statement untrue, leading to Jaynes’ termination.

Thursday, Jaynes’ attorney called that ridiculous because officers, he said, are allowed to rely on information from other investigators.

After Jaynes testified, the city attorney called former LMPD Chief Robert Schroeder to the stand. He was questioned about Mayor Greg Fischer’s administration being involved in the implementation of the Place Based Investigations Unit, the group tasked with investigating Glover, who operated an alleged drug house on Elliott Avenue.

Schroeder testified he did not know who selected Elliott Avenue as the focus for the PBI.

The city also questioned LMPD Officer Andrew Meyer, who interviewed Jaynes about the Taylor case as part of the Professional Standards Unit investigation.

Meyer testified he believed Jaynes’ statement about verifying the warrant was untruthful. He said that determination was made only based on the fact that Jaynes himself hadn’t called, and not whether he had a right to rely on Mattingly.

The trial wrapped just after 3 p.m. Thursday, and will continue on June 29.

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