Trump DOJ moves to dismiss civil rights charges against officers in Breonna Taylor case

Lawyers for the DOJ Civil Rights Division asked a federal judge to drop the cases against ex-cops Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany with prejudice, meaning they could not be revived in the future.

The U.S. Department of Justice is moving to dismiss federal civil rights charges against two former Louisville Police officers who were involved in the botched raid that led to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor.

Lawyers for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division filed a court motion on Friday to drop the cases against ex-cops Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany with prejudice, which means they could not be revived in the future, reports CBS. The judge overseeing the case has not yet ruled on the motion.

Jaynes and Meany were initially charged with violating Taylor’s civil rights, specifically her Fourth Amendment right, for their role in allegedly misleading the judge who signed off on the search warrant for the home of Breonna Taylor, who was shot six times while sleeping in her apartment in March 2020. The two officers were also charged for conspiracy and obstruction of justice for allegedly trying to cover up the botched no-knock warrant.

CBS reports that the DOJ filing was signed by DOJ Civil Rights Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert Keenan and Acting Criminal Chief Katie Neff. However, no career prosecutors from the division’s criminal section signed the brief. This follows a trend of the Trump DOJ bypassing legal norms and procedures in order to execute politically motivated actions.

The police death of Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, sparked outrage in Louisville and beyond, in addition to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, resulting in nationwide and international protests against police brutality and racial bias.

The latest move by the DOJ comes after other decisions by the Trump administration that critics say undermine justice for Breonna Taylor and efforts to reform how law enforcement is conducted.

In July 2025, the Department of Justice recommended that ex-police officer Brett Hankinson, who was involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor, serve only one day in prison. Hankison was initially charged with violating Taylor’s civil rights by using excessive force in discharging several shots through her window.

Earlier this month, the DOJ also rolled back limits on federal no-knock warrants that were enacted during the Biden administration in 2022 in response to Taylor’s death. The move was blasted by civil rights and advocacy groups.

“What happened to Breonna Taylor was a profound failure of our justice system — one that we have a moral responsibility to correct. In the years since her murder, the need to confront the issue of no-knock warrants has only intensified,” the Congressional Black Caucus said in a statement after the re-introduction of the Breonna Taylor Act, which would federally ban no-knock warrants. “No American should fear that at any moment, law enforcement could enter their home unannounced. And no parent like Tamika Palmer should be forced to endure the grief of losing her child to a system that failed her.”

The CBC added, “Breonna Taylor’s life mattered, and her story demands action. It is our duty to ensure that what happened to her never happens again—to any family, in any community, anywhere in this country.”