A law enforcement officer has been convicted of reckless homicide for fatally shooting a young man who was on his way to deliver sandwiches to his grandmother’s home. Jason Meade shot Casey Goodson Jr multiple times, resulting in his death. The incident sparked outrage and grief for Mr. Goodson’s family, who can now begin the process of mourning.
Meade, a retired white officer from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, faced trial for the killing of Mr. Goodson, a Black man, in Columbus, Ohio. The shooting occurred in December, just months after the high-profile killing of George Floyd in 2020. Meade’s defense claimed that he shot Mr. Goodson in self-defense, alleging that he saw the victim armed with a gun, although no other witnesses corroborated this claim.
Contrary to Meade’s account, Mr. Goodson was unarmed and carrying sandwiches when he was shot. His family and prosecutors argued that he posed no threat and was simply going about his day. The guilty verdict in this case has brought a sense of closure and peace to Mr. Goodson’s loved ones, allowing them to finally grieve his loss.
As a Baptist pastor, Meade will face sentencing for reckless homicide, a charge that carries a maximum prison term of five years in Ohio. The evidence presented during the trial suggested that the gun allegedly held by Mr. Goodson was actually found in a holster under his belt, with its safety mechanism still engaged at the time of his death.