Being a longtime resident of Louisville I have been carefully following the issues surrounding the killing of Breonna Taylor. Beyond just reading all news accounts, I have made careful attempts to make sure to read or review any actual evidence that has been released. For example, there are a few audio interviews out that can be heard. These were done by the Public Integrity Unit (PIU)One is with the cop Jonathan Mattingly that was shot, another with Kenneth Walker, the bf of Breonna Taylor who was with her when she was shot. Of course, most all evidence that has been released has been put out by lawyers representing Breonna Taylor of her bf, which means they are only going to put out evidence that speaks to the guilt of the cops and to the innocence of their clients. Even if something exists that goes in some other direction they will not be releasing in before the trial.

A few observations:

• I've carefully listed to the two PIU interviews. The 40 min interview with Officer Jonathan Mattingly and the 90 min one with Kenneth Walker. Both are available on the NBC news website. I expected vast differences between their stories. But I was amazed to hear that both their stories line up surprisingly well. Except for one key difference: Mattingly says they announced themselves. Walker says he never heard them do that. They both say agree that there were loud knocks. However, I read a news account that despite no video existing of the raid, there was an audio recording and that the cops were heard announcing themselves. But I only saw that on a local channel's website and have not seen that anywhere else. Regardless, besides that one key issue, almost every single twist and turn line up in their stories, something I did not expect.

• I saw the letter that the City sent to let the cop Brett Hankison know that they were starting the proceedings to fire him. His lawyer responded and there was an interesting item in his letter: He said that the ballistic evidence had been analyzed but not released. Brett Hankison's lawyer said that since the letter from the City to fire his client did not mention ballistics, it only meant that none of the bullets that hit Breonna Taylor came from that Hankison's gun.

• They obviously cannot be charged with Murder in the First Degree or Murder in the Second, simply due to a lack of any evidence showing intent to kill on any of their parts.

• What is left is Voluntary or Involuntary Manslaughter. There it is very rare for the Voluntary charge to be filed. Perhaps the Involuntary Manslaughter charge could be made to stick. But I doubt that as most similar cases (cops killing someone during a raid) do not result in a guilty verdict on that count. Most good criminal defense lawyers can easily counter that charge in court.

• My best estimation is that none of the cops will be charged with anything. At best they may be fired by LMPD over some lack of procedure or excessive use of force etc.

• Maybe. Maybe if ballistics show one cop's bullets killed Breonna Taylor, they may try for the Involuntary Manslaughter. In that case, either the cop will walk. Or get a few years of which he will server just around 14 months or even less.