COLUMBUS, Ohio — Saturday marked one year since the death of Casey Goodson Jr.
Goodson was shot and killed by former Franklin County Sheriff Deputy Jason Meade on Dec. 4, 2020.
One year later, family and friends celebrated his life and memory.
10TV spoke with Goodson's mother, Tamala Payne.
She said Saturday was, finally, a day that she could take a breath of relief. "The pain, the pain fuels my fight. It makes me angry, and that anger makes me fight. I will uplift his name every day. His name will not be forgotten,” Payne said.
On Saturday, friends and family gathered to celebrate Goodson at the IMPACT Community Center.
Payne said she hasn’t felt that happiness in some time, but she’s dialed in on what’s next.
“Focus on the trial, focus on the conviction, fight for the conviction, that's next,” she said.
On Dec. 4 of last year, Meade was searching for a fugitive as a member of the U.S. Marshals Office Fugitive Task Force. Meade confronted Goodson in front of his grandmother's house.
Meade's attorney said Goodson pointed a gun at the former deputy, but Goodson's family said Casey was carrying sandwiches after a dentist appointment.
This past week, Meade was charged with two counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide.
Sean Walton, the attorney for Goodson's family, said the indictment lets him know justice is coming.
"For the last year, we've had to focus on the tragic details of Casey’s murder, and his family deserves to focus on the love that Casey displayed,” Walton said.
10TV spoke with Meade's attorney on Friday. He said that his client is innocent and did everything he was supposed to do when trying to arrest Goodson.
Meade’s first court appearance was on Friday and he pleaded not guilty to the murder charges. He was released on bond for $250,000.