One of Two Louisville Officers dropped from suit in Death of James E. Taylor
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Handcuffed Black Man shot 11 Times by Cops
A Jefferson circuit judge has removed Officer Bryan
Luckett from a civil lawsuit filed by the estate of handcuffed Black
man, James Edwards Taylor, 50, who was fatally shot 11 times by a
police detective in 2002. Luckett was the partner of Detective Michael
O'Neil the night that O'Neil shot James Edward Taylor in Taylor's
apartment. At the time of the shooting, police said the two detectives
entered the
apartment building where Taylor lived, then heard a woman screaming for
help and saying that a man had a knife. Without first frisking Taylor
the officers handcuffed Taylor with his arms behind his back. Officers
told investigators that despite being handcuffed behind his back Taylor
had somehow taken a knife into his hands, worked his hands around to
his hip, and was able to make ''slicing motions'' as he lunged at and
threatened the officers. Officer O'Neil said that he feared for his
life because Taylor was lunging at him with a box-cutter knife. The
officers then explained that they were "backed into a corner" by Taylor
as he lunged at them and they had no choice but to shoot him. An expert
said the shooting may have been avoided if the detectives had
carried some form of intermediate force, such as a collapsible baton or
pepper spray. Plain-clothes officers were not required to carry them at
the time.
On Dec. 5, 2003 a Jefferson County grand jury declined to indict the
officers in the killing of Taylor and the officers were absolved of
criminal wrongdoing. Taylor's suit against Officer O'Neil is pending. [more 
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