Kentucky appeals court affirms LMPD's decision to fire officer who shot Breonna Taylor

Judges from the Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld Louisville Metro Police's decision to fire the officer who shot and killed Breonna Taylor in a ruling issued Friday.

Former detective Myles Cosgrove filed a lawsuit against LMPD after he was fired by former interim Chief Yvette Gentry in January 2021 for violating the department's use-of-force procedures and failing to wear a body camera during the raid at Taylor's apartment in March 2020, The Courier Journal previously reported.

The Jefferson Circuit Court and the Louisville Metro Police merit board previously ruled in favor of LMPD.

Cosgrove, who filed suit in an attempt to get his job back, was hired by the Carroll County Sheriff's Department in April 2023.

Cosgrove, along with former LMPD sergeant Jonathan Mattingly and ex-detective Brett Hankison fired a combined 32 rounds, The Courier Journal previously reported. The three officers all fired their weapons after a shot fired by Taylor's boyfriend, Kenny Walker, struck Mattingly in the leg.

The FBI determined a shot from Cosgrove hit Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman.

"Here, it is clear that (Cosgrove) knew the flashing lights he witnessed in Ms. Taylor's apartment were coming from gunfire; however substantial evidence supported the determination that (Cosgrove) was not clear on who he was firing at and whether there were multiple people in the line of fire," the Court of Appeals ruling stated.

In November 2023, Cosgrove testified in the federal trial of Hankison, who was also fired by LMPD in connection to the raid at Taylor's apartment. Cosgrove said his former colleague continued to fire shots in the parking lot of Taylor's apartment after other officers had already stopped firing and moved away from the front door.

“I know what I did was justified,” Cosgrove said during his testimony. “What I did protected my life and protected Jon’s [Mattingly’s] life. I can live with that, humbly, knowing that. But the outcome is the least desirable thing I would ever wish.”

Jurors could not come to a verdict on whether Hankison violated the civil rights of Taylor, Walker and three neighbors, prompting a judge to declare a mistrial, The Courier Journal previously reported.

Mattingly was the only officer who fired his weapon during the raid on Taylor's apartment who was not later terminated. He retired from LMPD in 2021.

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Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Court sides with LMPD in suit over firing of officer who shot Breonna Taylor