LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville's mayor said Tuesday he has concerns about the validity of allegations made by the city's inspector general that police lied on a search warrant affidavit and criminal complaint in the 2022 shooting death of Omari Cryer.

Earlier this month, Louisville Metro Inspector General Ed Harness made several allegations of police misconduct in the case at a meeting of the city's Civilian Review and Accountability Board and gave police until March 9 to investigate 12 issues found in the killing of Cryer and report back to the board. The result of the investigation, according to Harness, shows a 4th Amendment violation for search and seizure as well as "unexplained evidence found in 'plain view.'" 

"We believe the evidence shows that LMPD detectives submitted false information on Mr. Cryer's criminal complaint. We're recommending a PSU investigation into possible false statements by the detective," Harness said at the meeting Jan. 22. 

Harness went on to say, "... we believe the evidence shows that the LMPD sergeant submitted a search warrant affidavit with false information."

That overview did not specify what exactly he said was false.

Greenberg said he wants to wait and see the results of Louisville Metro Police Department's internal investigation.

"Based on the information I have seen so far, I have some concerns about the validity of those allegations," Greenberg said during a news conference Tuesday. "LMPD is reviewing all of that right now, and I'll have further comments once LMPD has completed their review. But making the serious allegations that they made about officers lying is very serious. So if that's not correct, that's a big problem."

In a live interview in the WDRB News studio last week, LMPD Chief Paul Humphrey called the allegations "crap" and "misleading." Humphrey said the department had already "poured in several hours" reviewing body camera, documentation and other evidence in the case and that the report from the Office of Inspector General was "completely misleading."

Wednesday, Louisville’s Metro Inspector General Ed Harness made several allegations of police misconduct in the case at a meeting of the city’s Civilian Review and Accountability Board

"I think it's inappropriate for the Office of Inspector General to do that," Humphrey told WDRB News. "Our officers did not lie on those warrants."

Humphrey said it's important that LMPD build trust, and external oversight is an important part of that, but "releasing inappropriate findings like this is so damaging to our ability to build public trust and I'm not going to sit here and let him disparage LMPD in that way.

"I will always tell you when we are wrong," said Humphrey.

In a statement released Friday, Harness said, "we are encouraged to hear the Chief will, in fact, be taking our report seriously.

"... The OIG and CR&AB await LMPD's written response explaining whether it agrees with our findings, and if not, the reasons it would not accept our recommendations."

He also said the report is "in no way" the final determination of any allegations.

Cryer, 25, was killed in the Chickasaw neighborhood in west Louisville on May 20, 2022. He was shot twice by a deputy U.S. Marshal after fleeing from an apartment when a joint task force involving Louisville Metro Police and the U.S. Marshals Office went to arrest him on a warrant. No LMPD officer fired their weapons during the incident.

Cryer was wanted on charges related to domestic violence, including assault and strangulation. He ran from officers and fell after jumping over a fence. Police said Cryer grabbed a gun from his waistband.

The office of inspector general investigation reviewed documents from the Marshals office, an internal investigation by Louisville police, body camera footage, search warrant affidavits and court records, among other evidence.

Harness said the investigation shows LMPD detectives submitted false information on Cryer's criminal complaint and lacked support for an arrest warrant. He said the board is also asking police to look into missing documents from the case file.

But Humphrey maintained police did not lie about the charges against Cryer, which the victim described to an officer wearing a body camera, and Harness "clearly doesn't understand how the criminal justice system operates."

"Those charges are completely appropriate," he said.

Humphrey said there may have been some mistakes made in the case, but no "maleficence" like what Harness claimed in the report.

"I'm not going to stand for it," he said. "Those officers did a great job."

Harness said there also needs to be a review as to why the search warrant was sealed.

"We believe it was possibly unnecessary," he said.

The Inspector General position was created in the wake of the 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor, in which Louisville police officers lied on a search warrant to raid her home.

In the Cryer case, Harness said it is questionable whether Cryer's charges warranted a joint task force raid, and the board was recommending police create standard operating procedure on the use of such a task force. Harness also said police did not turn on their body cameras during the search of the home.

As for the use of deadly force, the office of inspector general lacks the jurisdiction to issue findings on the shooting because a U.S. Marshal fired the shot that killed Cryer.

omari cryer balloon release

Omari Cryer's family held a balloon release at Greenwood Boat Docks on March 13, 2023.

In body camera footage released in 2022, the shooter is not seen on camera.

Cryer's family, who have been vocal since the 2022 incident, attended the hearing earlier this month and has said prosecutors declined to press charges in the case. The family have also asked the Department of Justice to step in, much like they did in Taylor's case, raising concerns about the use of excessive force and lack of accountability.

"Nothing said or done in here today will ever give Omari back," said Vanessa Jameson, a family representative. "But what we can do is change policies, to ensure mistakes by officers of the law aren't brushed under the rug."

A spokesperson for the Commonwealth's Attorney's office sent WDRB a statement previously that said the officers "acted within the law."

The Inspector General's report recommends significant changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.

"We're wondering whether or not domestic violence warrants fit the criteria for that operation," Harness said. "We're recommending the creation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) addressing the implementation and use of such task forces."

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