COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The final autopsy report from the Franklin County Coroner’s Office ruled Casey Goodson Jr. was shot six times by a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy in December, declaring the Ohio man’s death a homicide.
The report was released by the Goodson family’s attorney Wednesday.
Goodson was shot by Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Meade on Dec. 4, 2020. Goodson’s family said he was bringing home sandwiches, while Meade’s attorney maintains Goodson brandished a handgun before the shooting.
According to the Goodson family’s attorney, Goodson was a concealed carry licensed holder and the state does not prohibit the open carry of firearms.
The report states Goodson tested negative for a number of drugs but did test positive for nicotine and a trace amount of cannabinoids. The autopsy report said the amount of cannabinoids was able to be detected, but not measured.
The autopsy report said Goodson was shot five times in the back and once in the buttocks.
In a statement released with the report, the Goodson family’s attorney called for Meade to be arrested for Goodson’s killing.
“We have known since the moment we found him on the kitchen floor that he was murdered,”
Tamala Payne, Casey Goodson Jr.’s mother, said in the statement. “This report says it right there, Jason Meade murdered my son in his own home.”
“Meade must be indicted, arrested, and convicted for Casey’s murder and that needs to happen
with urgency,” attorney Sean Walton, co-counsel for the Goodson family, said in the statement.
When asked for comment, Meade’s attorney Mark Collins said, “We cannot comment on something that we have not seen. It would be reckless and ignorant.”
Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin issued a statement, which reads, in part, “Like everyone in our community, I want answers about Casey Goodson’s death as soon as possible. However, the coroner’s report today doesn’t provide all of the facts needed to give us those answers. Physical and forensic evidence from the scene, as well as statements from any witnesses, will be crucial in providing the clearest picture of what happened. Much of this other evidence will remain unknown until the Department of Justice and the Columbus Police Department announce their findings.”
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said now that the autopsy is completed, it’s time to move the case forward.
“The autopsy results of Casey Goodson, Jr. are the last piece of the investigation prosecutors were waiting for,” Ginther said in a statement. “It is time for a grand jury to examine the evidence and move toward justice and accountability in this tragic death.”
The case is currently under criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Columbus Police, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
The FBI is investigating if Goodson’s civil rights were violated.
Goodson is currently on administrative leave from the sheriff’s office.
