Breonna Taylor case: Firing of ex-LMPD detective upheld by judge

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The firing of a Louisville Metro police officer has been upheld by a Jefferson Circuit Court judge.

Joshua Jaynes was fired in January 2021 for violating LMPD standard operating procedures dealing with the preparation of a search warrant and untruthfulness.

Mural in memory of Breonna Taylor to be dedicated at basketball court — Breonna Taylor(tcw-wave)

The case involves in the search warrant issued for the apartment of Breonna Taylor. In his request for the warrant, Jaynes said that he had verified with a U.S. Postal Inspector that Jamarcus Glover, a former boyfriend of Taylor, was receiving packages at her home. That information was later proven to be false.

Jaynes later said the information came from Sgt. Jon Mattingly. Now retired, Mattingly, who was wounded during the search warrant service attempt on March 13, 2000, claimed to have learned the information about Glover from someone in the Shively Police Department.

Louisville Metro Police Department Sgt. Jon Mattingly, the officer who led the deadly March 13,... — Louisville Metro Police Department Sgt. Jon Mattingly, the officer who led the deadly March 13, 2020 narcotics raid on Breonna Taylor’s apartment. (Source: Louisville Metro Police Department)(WAVE)

Former chief Robert Schroeder initiated an investigation by the LMPD Public Standards Unit, but former chief Yvette Gentry made the final decision to fire Jaynes.

Jaynes appealed the firing to the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board. That body found Jaynes had violated two areas of LMPD’s standard operating procedures. That resulted in Jaynes appealing the decision to Jefferson Circuit Court.

The ruling by Judge Mitch Perry, which was signed on June 22, affirmed the Merit Board decision but does say the order is appealable.