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The Franklin County Sheriff's SWAT deputy who shot and killed Casey Goodson Jr. on Dec. 4 is also a Baptist pastor and has used his faith to justify law enforcement's use of force. Michael Jason Meade, a 17-year sheriff's department veteran who goes by Jason, described use of force as "righteous release" in a 2018 video interview posted on YouTube by the Franklin County Sheriff's office. “Every now and then you have to actually use force,” Meade said in the video, called “Connecting with the Community." “We don’t go around looking for it because we don’t have to," he said. "Plenty of people out there will give you that opportunity ..."
Moore, who has known Meade for 30 years, said he is a great man. “He has a love for people. It’s the reason he does what he does,” Moore said. “He has a desire to serve the community and make the world a better, safer place. ... He has a heart full of love.” Moore confirmed that protesters disrupted the Sunday service at Rosedale Free Will Baptist Church on Dec. 13, though Meade was not present. “I tried to handle it the best I could,” Moore said. “We love people. We love those folks. I told them that ... we don’t want confrontation."