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 five times in the back and once in the side after a pursuit that began when their vehicles passed each other. The incident sparked outrage over the past five years, and Goodson’s family can now begin the process of grieving.
Meade, now 47, is the second white officer in Ohio to be found guilty of killing a Black man since George Floyd’s death in 2020. The shooting of Goodson occurred six months after Floyd’s killing, leading to Meade’s murder trial that ended in a mistrial. This year, Meade faced trial again in Columbus, Ohio.
During the trial, Meade claimed his actions were justified as he believed Goodson, 23, was armed and turned towards him with a gun in hand at the doorway of the house. However, no witnesses corroborated seeing Goodson holding a gun, which he was legally permitted to carry, and there was no video evidence of the shooting.
Contrary to Meade’s testimony, Goodson had been carrying sandwiches to his grandmother and not a weapon. He was unarmed and listening to music through earbuds when the tragic incident took place. Goodson’s family and prosecutors emphasized that he posed no threat, holding only a bag of sandwiches and his keys.
Tamala Payne, Goodson’s mother, expressed relief and closure following the guilty verdict, stating that her family can now find peace and begin the grieving process. Meade, a retired law enforcement officer and Baptist pastor, did not testify during the second trial. Prosecutors presented evidence suggesting that the gun was not in Goodson’s hands but in a holster under his belt, found under his body after the shooting.
Meade’s sentencing is scheduled for July 16. In Ohio, murder is defined as purposefully causing a death, while reckless homicide involves acting recklessly to cause a death. Murder carries a potential life sentence, while reckless homicide is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.
