Detective Joshua Jaynes received a pre-termination letter from the department on Tuesday, said his lawyer, Thomas Clay.
The letter, sent by Provisional Police Delegate Yvette Gentry, informed Jaynes of “the present intention to terminate (his) employment” and that the action is based on a review of the conclusions of the “Investigation of Professional Standards in the preparation and execution of the warrant search “at Taylor’s apartment.
Gentry writes that Jaynes violated the standard operating procedure with respect to preparing for the execution of a search warrant and falsehood.
“Your actions have brought discredit on you and the Department. Your conduct has seriously damaged the image that our Department has established in our community,” wrote Gentry. “I cannot tolerate this type of conduct or falsehood from any member of the Louisville Metro Police Department.”
A police hearing on the matter is scheduled for Thursday, according to the letter.
Clay said the hearing is a formality “because there is no doubt in my mind that there has already been a decision to fire him without regard to what he has to say at this pre-termination hearing”.
Clay called the investigative process “fiasco” and believes his client is being wrongly guilty.
“Detective Jaynes is being made a scapegoat through an extravagant and farcical investigation by the Louisville Police Department,” Clay said.
Detective Myles Cosgrove also received a letter of termination, according to his lawyer, Jarrod Beck. Beck declined to comment further.
The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department said on Tuesday that it cannot discuss cases “until an internal investigation is closed and discipline (if any) is determined,” according to spokesman Sgt. John Bradley.
The police union, in a statement, said it was aware that two members had received letters of pre-termination and that it would coordinate with them and their lawyers during the process.
Former detective Brett Hankison was indicted, but not for Taylor’s murder. He is charged with three counts of arbitrary first-degree danger for allegedly firing blind bullets that ended up in an apartment next to Taylor. He pleaded not guilty.
He was fired in June.