LMPD sergeant federally charged in Breonna Taylor case formally terminated

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Following a pre-termination meeting with Louisville Metro Police Sergeant Kyle Meany and Chief Erika Shields on Wednesday, Shields made the decision to fire Meany on Friday.

Meany, who had received a reprimand by the department in relation to the Breonna Taylor case, began his pre-termination process hours after the FBI’s recent charge.

Shields decision was confirmed on Friday afternoon as a statement was provided on Meany’s termination.

“I made the decision to terminate Sergeant Kyle Meany after careful consideration and not with ease. I fully respect the judicial process and realize Sergeant Meany has yet to be heard before a jury of his peers. That being said, he is facing multiple federal charges after a lengthy investigation by the DOJ. As an employer, the character of our organization is paramount and it is not reasonable to expect continued employment under such conditions. "

Could Meany get his job back without a conviction or an internal investigation into the new allegations?

>>FULL COVERAGE: The Breonna Taylor Case

It’s a process LMPD Chief Erika Shields has violated before, according to the Civil Service Board in Atlanta where she used to be chief right before coming to Louisville.

“It was such a tumultuous state, that the slightest thing was going to trigger rioting and protests,” Shields told the Atlanta board about her decision.

Shields had fired two Atlanta officers in a tasing incident in 2020, hours after it happened and hit the news. Their attorneys claimed she had not even asked the officers about the incident, much less conducted any form of investigation.

Shields herself confirmed she hadn’t.

“I did not hear from him,” she said.

“So the answer is, you never asked him a single question,” the officer’s attorney asked during the a board hearing.

“That’s correct,” Shields replied.

After their firing, those two Atlanta officers were found to have acted appropriately while using their taser on two college students during riots. The charges against those officers were also later dropped.

Because Shields violated due process laws, the board said, they had to give the two officers their jobs back. In May, their attorney said they may still sue the City of Atlanta.

Meany’s meeting Wednesday was a formality in the process.

Now that Meany has been fired from the department, he is expected to appeal his termination.

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