The former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor will soon present his case as to why he should be rehired.
According to the Courier-Journal, Myles Cosgrove, who was fired from the LMPD in January for his involvement in the shooting, will stand before the Louisville Metro Police Merit Board over the span of five days this month and December to argue his case. His hearing is slated to begin at 9 a.m. on Nov. 9-10 and continue Dec. 13-15.
As REVOLT previously reported, Cosgrove was fired earlier this year for failing to “properly identify a target” when he fired 16 rounds into Taylor’s apartment during the botched raid. He also failed to turn on his body camera during the incident.
Cosgrove fired the bullet that hit Taylor’s pulmonary artery, which ultimately killed the 26-year-old EMT.
Former Interim Chief Yvette Gentry previously wrote a letter stating why she terminated the detective. “The shots you fired went in three distinctly different directions, demonstrating that you did not identify a specific target,” Gentry wrote. “Rather, you fired in a manner consistent with suppressive fire, which is in direct contradiction to our training, values and policy.”
Following his firing, Cosgrove blasted the police department, saying that they caved to “political pressures.”
“Think about that the next time you put on the uniform and badge,” he said. “For those of you still doing real police work, it’s just a matter of time till you (too) will be a sacrificial lamb. I plead with you, do nothing.”
So far, no one has faced criminal charges for Taylor’s death. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron previously stated that the officers were “justified” in the shooting because Kenneth Walker, Taylor’s boyfriend, fired at them first.
Ex-LMPD Detective Brett Hankison is the only officer who is facing charges for the shooting. He was indicted on three counts of wanton endangerment for “blindly” shooting into the homes of Taylor’s neighbors. He is set to go to trial in February.