COLUMBUS, Ohio — The mother of Casey Goodson Jr., a Black man who was shot and killed by a Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy in December, said Friday that Goodson was allegedly shot six times.
Tamala Payne, Goodson’s mother, said she met with the Franklin County Coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz on Jan. 11. She said Friday Goodson was shot five times in the back and once in the right gluteus. Officials have not confirmed that claim.
Payne and her attorney Sean Walton discussed the autopsy in an interview Friday with the morning show The Breakfast Club.
Mark Collins, the lawyer representing Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Meade — the deputy involved in Goodson's fatal shooting —declined Spectrum’s request Friday for comment because he said he hasn’t seen the autopsy.
In a statement sent to Spectrum News Friday, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said he is unaware of what conversations took place between Ortiz and Goodson's family.
"Like everyone in our community, I want answers about Casey Goodson's death as soon as possible. However, we don't know what the Franklin County coroner may have said, and the information relayed by Ms. Payne doesn't have 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. Most of this evidence will remain unknown until the Department of Justice, the Franklin County coroner and the Columbus Police Department release their findings," Baldwin wrote.
New information provided to the family by the coroner allegedly shows Goodson was shot three more times than previously thought, strengthening their case for charges against Meade, Payne said.
Columbus police spokesperson James Fuqua said Friday the Division of Police was awaiting results of the autopsy and unable to comment at this time. Fuqua said he was not sure how Payne was privy to details of the autopsy at this stage of the investigation.
Walton said it is frustrating that without video evidence it is harder to get public attention on the case. Payne said on the Breakfast Club she has been wrestling with whether to release a picture of her son’s body. She said releasing the picture would show the world what happened to her son, but she fears the effect it would have on her other children.
Ortiz released preliminary results of the autopsy on Dec. 9, determining Goodson was shot multiple times in the torso. At the time, Goodson’s family said they noticed he had been shot at least three times.
A spokesperson for the Franklin County Coroner clarified to Spectrum that the statement that Goodson was shot in the back was put out by the family's attorney, not by the coroner’s office. The final autopsy report is expected to be completed in 12 to 14 weeks from the incident — possibly early March.
Meade, a 17-year veteran of the force, confronted Goodson, 23, outside his home in Columbus on Dec. 6, according to court documents. Goodson had been holding sandwiches, a keychain and was legally carrying a firearm.
Officials said the sheriff’s deputies were not searching for Goodson. According to Columbus officials, the address for the original warrant was not the home where Goodson and his large family reside. Officials declined requests for the warrant and information on the suspect.
Collins claimed Goodson brandished his weapon, but Goodson's family’s attorney denies this claim. They said he did not harm anyone and was bringing home sandwiches to his family. Payne is calling for Meade to face murder charges. Meanwhile, Meade remains on paid administrative leave, as of the last update from officials.
“There is no way to explain how I feel, other than the fact, I want him in jail. The man still has a job. He's still employed to this day. It's day 68, and he still has a job,” Payne said.
Details of the case still remain unclear. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office initially declined to investigate because it wasn’t aware of what happened until three days later after interviews with witnesses were completed.
David DeVillers, the U.S. attorney for Southern Ohio, is reviewing the case along with the Columbus Police Department, the F.B.I’s Cincinnati Office, and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.