Former Louisville officer charged in Breonna Taylor case intends to plea guilty

Her attorney agreed Kelly Goodlett will change her plea on a federal conspiracy charge.
Published: Aug. 12, 2022 at 7:27 PM EDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Kelly Hanna Goodlett, one of the former Louisville Metro Police Department officers now charged in Breonna Taylor’s case, intends to plead guilty to a federal charge. Her attorney agreed Goodlett will change her plea from not guilty to guilty on a conspiracy charge.

They set the date for that hearing for August 22, the judge said during court Friday. It will be up to a judge to decide whether to accept that plea agreement from Goodlett. The possible sentence for a conspiracy charge is up to five years in prison.

No details of the plea agreement were revealed, reported WAVE.

Goodlett’s bond was set at $10,000 and she was ordered to surrender her passport and guns. Goodlett was also told not have contact with other members associated in the case.

On August 4, Goodlett and three former LMPD officers - Joshua Jaynes, Brett Hankison, and Kyle Meany - were arrested by the FBI for alleged Civil Rights violations, which is a federal crime. They were all arraigned except for Goodlett.

The set of charges include conspiracy for some of the officers for actions the FBI believes happened after Taylor’s death.

Goodlett was part of the Place Based Investigations, or PBI Unit which led the drug investigation into Taylor’s ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover. The FBI has accused her of meeting with Jaynes in a garage to discuss what they were going to tell investigators.

Goodlett, who was the partner of Jaynes, was tasked with conducting much of the field work leading them to surveil Taylor. The target of the investigation was Glover and his so-called trap house on Elliott Avenue in Louisville’s Russell neighborhood. Goodlett had taken pictures of Glover picking up a U.S. Postal Service package at Taylor’s home. She had also gathered surveillance video outside of the home on Elliott Avenue showing Taylor getting into Glover’s car.

The investigation led officers to Taylor’s home with a search warrant shortly after midnight on Friday, March 13, 2020. Moments after officers breached the door to Taylor’s apartment, her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired at the entry team. The officers fired back, fatally striking Taylor.

In a separate incident, Goodlett was also being investigated by the FBI in the case that later became known throughout LMPD as “Slushigate.” WAVE News Troubleshooters broke the story after learning a number of LMPD officers were being investigated for throwing Slushies at unsuspecting pedestrians while recording videos.

Two other officers were later indicted in that case for Civil Rights violations. Goodlett has not been charged in that case.

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