LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville police officer who obtained the search warrant for Breonna Taylor's home has received a pre-termination notice, his lawyer confirmed to WHAS11.
Interim LMPD Chief Yvette Gentry said detective Joshua Jaynes violated LMPD's standard operating procedure when obtaining a warrant for Taylor's address, saying in a termination letter to Jaynes that he failed to complete a Search Warrant Operations Plan form and lied in his affidavit.
In his affidavit, Jaynes claimed the main suspect of their drug investigation had been using Taylor's apartment as his own since Feb. 20.
Jaynes claimed he had observed Taylor's ex-boyfriend, 30-year-old Jamarcus Glover, running a "trap house" at a home on Elliott Ave. The affidavit says Glover would make frequent trips to Taylor's apartment and was once spotting leaving with a USPS package.
While the affidavit claimed Jaynes had verified that Glover received packages at Taylor's place, Jaynes said in an interview with LMPD's Public Integrity Unit that he actually asked Mattingly to verify that information.
In the PIU summary written in July, investigators described Jaynes' affidavit wording as "misleading," saying "given Jaynes' statement related to the information" it "should be reviewed for criminal actions."
"Detective Jaynes lied when he swore 'verified through a US Postal Inspector,'' Gentry said in Jaynes' termination letter. "Detective Jaynes also lied when he swore a US Postal Inspector advised 'that Jamarcus Glover has been receiving packages at [Taylor's apartment]."
Gentry also noted that neither Jaynes nor his supervisors were present at Taylor's apartment when the search warrant was executed.
"It is clear from this review there should have been better controls, supervision and scrutiny over this operation prior to the warrant being signed and executed," Gentry said in the termination letter. "Because the operations plans was not completed properly a very dangerous situation was created for all parties involved."
While Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's investigation into Taylor's death ended in a Jefferson County grand jury indicting former detective Brett Hankison for his actions the night of Taylor's death, Cameron's investigation did not look into Jayne's search warrant. Instead, the warrant is part of the FBI's independent investigation that has not concluded.
In his affidavit, Jaynes said he believed Glover had been stashing drugs or money at her apartment to avoid detection from law enforcement.
No drugs or money were found at Taylor's home the night she was killed.
Detective Myles Cosgrove, the Louisville police officer who Attorney General Daniel Cameron said fatally shot Taylor, also received a pre-termination notice, his attorney confirmed.
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