He will soon present his reasons for why he should be rehired as a police officer from the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) who fatally shot Breonna Taylor in 2013.
The Courier-Journal reports that Myles Cosgrove, who was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in January after being involved in a shooting, will argue his case in front of the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board in five days this month and December. His hearing will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 9-10 and 13 through 15.
During a botched raid earlier in the year, Cosgrove fired 16 rounds into Taylor’s apartment because he failed to identify the target properly. At the same time, the body cam on his body was not turned on.
Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was killed after a bullet struck her pulmonary artery.
The former interim chief of police, Yvette Gentry, previously outlined her reasons for terminating the detective in a letter. According to Gentry, the shots you fired went in three different directions, showing you didn’t have a specific target in mind. In contrast, you engaged in suppressive fire in a way that is inconsistent with our training, values, and policies.
In the aftermath of his firing, Cosgrove ripped into the police department, claiming they caved to political pressure.
I strongly suggest that you consider this the next time you put on your uniform and badge. It is only a matter of time before those of you who are still engaged in full-time law enforcement become sacrificial lambs. I implore you not to take any action.
The death of Taylor has not so far been the subject of criminal charges. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron has previously stated that the officers were “justified” in shooting Taylor because her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a first shot.
The only officer facing charges for this shooting is former LMPD detective Brett Hankison. Several of Taylor’s neighbors’ homes were entered by “blindly” shooting into them. He was indicted for wanton endangerment on three counts. He will go on trial in February.
This article was penned by Jonathan P. Wright. Jonathan is a freelance writer for multiple mainstream publications and CVO of RADIOPUSHERS. You can read more of his work by clicking here.
