WAVE Investigates UPDATE: Man spends months in jail in mistaken identity case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A Louisville father of eight is pushing for accountability from police after he said he spent five months in jail for a crime he said he didn’t commit.

The case dates back to January 15, 2023, when the Louisville Metro Police Department responded to a shot spotter call at 726 E. Jacob Street. A woman told officers that a man she knew named Michael Anderson shot at her in a domestic violence incident. Surveillance footage from a nearby camera appears to show the shooting, and the victim’s conversations with officers were captured on body cam footage.

After a warrant was issued for Michael Anderson’s arrest, a man by that name was arrested for panhandling on December 24, 2024.

“It was referred to LMPD’s Domestic Violence Unit, where Detective Larry Farmer was assigned the case,” said attorney Sara Collins, who is now involved in the case. “He went on CourtNet and picked Michael Anderson, a black man, out of CourtNet, unfortunately, he picked the wrong Michael Anderson.”

The wrong Michael Anderson is now Collins’ client, as they are working to file a lawsuit against LMPD for wrongfully accusing him in the shooting case. Collins’ client spent five months in jail, attempting to explain multiple times in court that this must be a case of mistaken identity.

“What I explained, it didn’t mean anything,” Anderson said. “(I was) scared, confused, angry, a lot of anxiety going on. I thought of my kids.”

“That entire time, a dangerous criminal is on the loose, and no one is looking for him,” Collins said.

On April 23, 2025, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Max Gosman, public defender Jordan Holman and Jefferson Circuit Judge Julie Kaelin discussed new evidence in court, and Anderson’s pleas to release him. Below is part of that exchange:

Holman: “The man who is on that shot spotter video has much lighter skin tone than my client. “I think very much my Mr. Anderson is not the Mr. Anderson that this occurred with. He also says that he does not know her.”

Gosman: “I had never seen Mrs. Holman’s client before today in person. So, you know. This is embarrassing. I don’t feel like I had any way to know.”

Kaelin: “No you would not have known, but Larry Farmer should have.”

Anderson was released from jail and the charges dropped, and he now hopes his story helps to keep this from happening to someone else.

“I hope it influences better procedure,” Anderson said. “I am nervous about it happening again, because if they don’t fix the procedures that they have and the way they do things, it could start all over again.”

Collins said an upcoming lawsuit will also push for accountability from LMPD, and also said she believes that cuts to LMPD’s domestic violence unit back in 2021 have caused detectives in that unit to have a higher caseload, she said, perhaps leading to mistakes like what happened to her client.

“I would like them to be accountable to the extent that they analyze the situation and say, ‘What could we have done better? What was our part in this? And not just focus on the detective’s mistake,” Collins said. “And take steps to correct that. We don’t really see that from LMPD, and it has to happen or were going to continuously have problems with this department.”

WAVE reached out to LMPD for comment on the case, and the department sent the statement below:

“A PSU (Professional Standards Unit) case was initiated on 8/12/25 regarding this matter. As you know, no member of this agency (or the government for that matter) may make any public statements regarding the issue until its final disposition. The internal investigation is still ongoing.”

Tuesday, the Civilian Review and Accountability Board met to discuss complaints related to Anderson’s case. Inspector General Edward Harness, from the Louisville Office of the Inspector General, provided WAVE News with the following recommendations that were passed by the CR&AB:

1. Immediately review all open warrants sworn to and obtained by the DV unit detective on the Michael Anderson case.
2. No Further Investigation by this office at this time, given the active PSU investigation and ongoing legal representation of the complainant, independent inquiry by our office may interfere with due process.
3. OIG conduct a post-PSU ReviewUpon completion of PSU’s findings, PSU will turn over the entire original case file, including but not limited to; investigative reports, warrant documentation, and administrative communications.
4. Preservation of RecordsAll records related to this investigation, including but not limited to body-worn camera footage, RTCC recordings, warrant applications, CourtNet search history, and internal communications, should be preserved in anticipation of further review