COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A federal judge has ruled that former Franklin County deputy Jason Meade will stand trial for the murder of Casey Goodson Jr. in state court.

Judge Edmund Sargus issued the ruling Thursday after listening to testimony and arguments Feb. 11.

The issue at hand was whether Meade was acting in his capacity as a deputy marshal or a sheriff’s deputy when he pursued and fatally shot Goodson in December 2020. It was the same issue that was publicly debated between Marshal Peter Tobin and Sheriff Dallas Baldwin a week after the shooting.

Meade did not have authority to arrest Goodson as a task force member and was not acting as a federal officer at the time, Sargus ruled.

“Meade’s only authority to arrest Goodson came from his state authority as a deputy sheriff to enforce state law,” Sargus said. “This case is properly tried in state court.”

The judge said during a Feb. 11 hearing it was the first time he had handled such a case in 25 years on the bench.

Meade’s attorneys wanted the case tried in federal court as a step toward having the state charges dismissed, and because it was far less likely Meade would be charged with killing Goodson under federal law. Franklin County prosecutors fought the move to keep the charges alive in state court.

Mark Collins, one of Meade’s defense attorneys, said his team is currently reviewing the judge’s opinion and will later determine whether they’ll file an appeal.

“We look forward to trying the case to a jury regardless of the venue,” Collins said.

Meade has been indicted in Franklin County on two counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide.

Goodson was shot from behind multiple times at the doorstep of his grandmother’s house. Meade has said through his attorney that Goodson was disobeying orders to lower a weapon when the shooting occurred. Family members have countered that Goodson had sandwiches and keys in his hands at the time.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.