Two years after Ronald Greene, a 49-year-old Black man, died after a confrontation with white police officers in May 2019, the Louisiana police department released footage of the incident.
Louisiana state police had refused to publicly release footage from the incident, which they claimed culminated in Greene dying from crashing into a tree and injuring his head.
Footage released by the police on Friday was similar to the video released by the Associated Press this past week, which showed inconsistencies with the police’s claim that Greene had died from a car crash. It is unclear how the Associated Press obtained the footage.
The videos, taken from body and dashboard cameras from the officers on the scene, showed the disturbing encounter Greene had with the police that night. Officers started to pursue Greene for an unspecified traffic violation just after midnight. Officers are seen punching Greene and using a stun gun while he is on the ground.
At one point during the video, Greene pleads with the officers: “I’m your brother! I’m scared! I’m scared!” The officers on the scene are heard calling him a “stupid motherfucker” and dragged him face down on the ground after handcuffing him.
Greene’s family said police told them he had died after his car crashed during a police pursuit. Police later adjusted the story and said he had struggled with officers and died on his way to the hospital. No cause of death was mentioned in Greene’s autopsy report.
Two investigations, an internal inquiry from Louisiana police and a federal civil rights investigation, began at the end of last summer – over a year after Greene’s death. Greene’s family has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officers involved.
Citing these investigations, police refused to release footage until Friday. Col Lamar Davis, the state police superintendent, said the agency decided to release the footage to encourage “healing”.
“I want the public to move toward healing. This has been a tragic event. When we look at Mr Greene’s family and all they’re going through, what I don’t want is for this to keep resurfacing and bringing up old wounds,” he said at a press conference.
Mona Hardin, Greene’s mother, told CNN that she was disgusted by the videos. “There’s no words for how mad I am.”
Ron Haley, the lawyer for Greene’s family, said the video’s release was “two years too late, but better late than never”, according to the Advocate, a local newspaper.
“There could have been an investigation that was immediately opened. But the family was also lied to that he died in a car crash. If you’re going to investigate yourself and give the family a BS reason for his death hoping they don’t look into it, it’s never going to come out,” he said.
Davis, the police chief, said he intends to fire one of the state troopers involved, according to the Advocate. A second trooper died in a car crash last year, shortly after he was informed of his imminent termination. A third officer received a 50-hour suspension.
