A Franklin County jury has found 47-year-old former Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy Jason Meade guilty of reckless homicide in connection with the December 4, 2020 shooting death of 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr.
On May 7, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David Young read the verdict aloud in the courtroom. However, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the murder charge which led to Judge Young declaring a mistrial on that count.
Meade now faces a maximum of three years in prison, though as a third-degree felony under Ohio law, prison time is not guaranteed and the sentence, ranging from probation to three years is entirely at the judge’s discretion.
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Sentencing is now scheduled for July 16. Casey Goodson Jr.’s mother, Tamala Payne has made clear after the verdict that she was not done. “I would like to see him convicted of murder,” she said, surrounded by her attorney and more than a dozen family members. “He has to be held accountable for what he did to Casey,” per Columbus Dispatch.Here are five interesting things to know about Jason Meade.
Jason Meade: 5 things about former sheriff’s deputy
- Jason Meade was serving as a Baptist pastor in Madison County at the same time he shot and killed Casey Goodson Jr.
- In a 2018 recording at a Free Will Baptist pastors’ conference, Meade described his work with the US Marshals task force as “hunting people.” “I hunt people,” he said to laughter. “It’s a great job, I love it,” as per Columbus Dispatch.
- At the same conference, Meade also openly talked about using physical force first and justified it by saying, “I learned long ago I got to throw the first punch. And I learned long ago why I’m justified in throwing the first punch,” he said.
- In a 2018 YouTube interview video posted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s office, Meade described using force on the job as a “righteous release.” “There is release in our job that, righteously, we can actually have a use of force,” he said.
- And just a few months before that video was posted, in June 2018, Meade was one of seven officers who fired their weapons during a standoff in Pike County that ended with two men dead.
Everything we know about the case
This was Meade’s second trial. Meade first faced trial in February 2024, but that jury also could not reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. The second trial was scheduled and rescheduled multiple times before finally taking place in 2026
On December 4, 2020, Meade was part of a police task force searching an area in northeast Columbus for a wanted person who was not connected to Casey Goodson Jr. After the search failed, Meade said he saw a man in a passing car waving a gun. That man was later identified as Casey Goodson Jr.
In a written statement to investigators, Meade said he repeatedly told Casey Goodson Jr to show his hands but he claimed that Goodson turned and pointed a handgun at him. Meade then fired his department-issued rifle. He said he pulled the trigger once but because the rifle was set to automatic mode, six bullets were fired
Goodson’s family has said that he had a permit to carry the weapon and was returning to his grandmother’s home carrying sandwiches when he was shot. Testimony from the trial showed he had earbuds in his ears playing music and his mother had also texted him earlier to warn him that police were in the area, per Columbus Dispatch
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After his 2021 arrest, Meade retired from the Franklin County Sheriff’s office. During the second trial, which included eight days of testimony and 23 witnesses, Meade did not testify in court. However, jurors were shown and allowed to hear his written statement to investigators, per Columbus Dispatch.
As the case moves toward sentencing on July 16. Special prosecutors Tim Merkle and Gary Shroyer said they will consult with the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office before making any decision. However, there is no timeline set.
