Murder retrial begins for Casey Goodson Jr. case
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Jury selection should start Thursday for the retrial of Jason Meade, the former Franklin County deputy charged with murder in Casey Goodson Jr.'s 2020 shooting death.
Why it matters: The case is among Central Ohio's most prominent, drawing national attention during a time of civil unrest and racial reckoning.
- After multiple delays, a resolution has been years in the making — and it could set the tone for future police violence trials locally.
Catch up quick: Meade's 2024 trial ended with a hung jury after three days of tumultuous deliberations.
- Goodson, a 23-year-old Black man, was shot six times in his back and buttocks within the doorway of his grandmother's Northland home, according to an autopsy report.
- Meade, 47, wasn't wearing a body camera, as the county first purchased that technology in 2022.
Separately, the county approved a $7 million civil settlement with Goodson's family in 2024, but didn't admit liability.
Flashback: The previous trial's arguments centered on whether Goodson was a threat during his final moments and whether Meade's actions were justified.
- Meade says Goodson waved a gun at him from inside a vehicle, prompting a pursuit, and then pointed it at him again while walking toward the home, not following Meade's orders.
- Goodson's family says he was carrying a bag of Subway sandwiches and keys and didn't hear Meade because he was wearing AirPods, listening to music.
- Goodson was licensed to carry, and investigators found a gun at the scene with the safety on.
The latest: Meade's attorneys are expected to argue self-defense this time around, which would require prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it wasn't.
- The move would be a first for a local police violence case, The Dispatch reports.
The big picture: Meade's retrial follows two other high-profile police cases with split outcomes.
- Last summer, former Columbus officer Adam Coy — the first officer to be convicted of murder in Ohio — was sentenced to life in prison for Andre Hill's 2020 death.
- Months later, a jury found former Blendon Township officer Connor Grubb not guilty of murdering Ta'Kiya Young in 2023.
What they're saying: "It felt like one step forward, two steps back," Emily Cole, political director of the Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality support group, tells Axios.
- She says families "want accountability."
- The local police union did not return a message seeking comment.
What's next: Meade's retrial could continue through May. The previous one lasted about three weeks.