Police brass tried to claim that Ronald Greene’s death was caused by a car accident at the end a high-speed chase, more than a year after Louisiana state troopers brutalized him on video.
According to internal documents obtained from The Associated Press, police officials secretly ordered a study into the possible role that the crash played in Greene’s death in 2019. This was part of a covert effort to limit the agency’s legal liability.
Despite the video showing troopers striking, punching, and dragging the unarmed man, and the trooper admitting that he hit him with a flashlight, the troopers made the effort. This was a new use of deadly force.
These documents also show how four troopers exaggerated Greene’s threat to justify using force. They provide the most complete account of the May 10, 2019 arrest. They also show how top brass and troopers attempted to hide or excuse actions in a case now under investigation by the federal civil right investigation.
Mona Hardin Greene’s mother said to the AP that it was “horrible”. “There is nothing they can do to change, to warp or to erase what has been shown. They can’t change it. It doesn’t matter how they want it to be coated or what colors they use to paint it.
Greene, a 49 year-old barber, didn’t pull over for a violation of traffic laws and led troopers on an midnight chase through rural northern Louisiana at speeds up to 115 mph (185 km/h), before his car came to a halt on a roadside near Monroe.
Troopers informed Greene’s family hours later that he had died from impact injuries after hitting a tree. This explanation was questioned by photos of Greene on a gurney that show his battered face and hospital reports that Greene had two stun gun prongs in the back.
The Louisiana State Police seemed to have backed off the crash explanation when they released a one-page statement stating that Greene had struggled with troopers trying to arrest him, and that he was on his way to the hospital.
The truth began to emerge when the AP published body cam video of troopers converged on Greene’s vehicle. They repeatedly jolted him with a stun guns, wrestled him to the ground and punched him in the face. All the while, he apologizes and begs for mercy. Later, a trooper can be seen placing Greene face down and leaving him there for nine minutes.
However, even though they had seen the footage internally and only three weeks after showing it to Greene’s relatives, top police officers last November were still determined to blame Greene’s death for a car accident. They asked a crash reconstructionist for an estimate of the “g force” Greene may have received in a car crash to help them understand why he died.
Although Greene was pronounced dead at the scene of a motor vehicle collision, physical struggle and cocaine-induced agitated death, the autopsy did not determine whether Greene sustained the most severe injuries, a broken breastbone and lacerated abdomen, from the accident or the state troopers.
Capt. Capt.
He said, “That could be of significant value on civil side as it tries to reduce our percentage liability.”
Faye Morrison was a state police lawyer who replied: “This will certainly be important re cause death and damages.”
As the agency investigated Morrison’s role in the Greene case, Morrison was reassigned.
Capt. Capt.
Rafael Goyeneche (a former prosecutor) said that it was an indication of misplaced attention and efforts. He is the president of Metropolitan Crime Commission, a New Orleans-based watchdog organization. “They are more concerned with civil liability issues than they are the conduct of troopers,” he said.
Chris Hollingsworth, Master Trooper, told investigators that Greene had “no apparent injuries” when Greene rushed to his SUV after the chase.
Hollingsworth later said that he had “beaten the ever-living fo— out” Greene. He admitted to investigators that he knew the head was a “red area” of deadly force, but also acknowledged striking Greene three times with flashlights and jolting him six more times with stun guns out of concern for his safety.
Hollingsworth stated that “He was bigger than me and stronger than I was, and he had already prevented two troopers from being in a position to handcuff” him. “He could’ve done anything once his hold was broken off of him.”
Hollingsworth was shown the gurney photos of Greene’s head and acknowledged that the flashlight could have caused half-moon-shaped gashes on Greene’s head, but said, “I am not a doctor.”
Manale, a spokesperson for the police, did not comment on Hollingsworth’s use of deadly force. Hollingsworth was killed in a single vehicle accident last year, just hours after he learned that he would be fired from Greene’s arrest.
According to the documents, Hollingsworth and three troopers exaggerated Greene’s resistance in order to justify force. One told investigators that he had “fought for his life”, while another claimed that Greene “constantly moved, trying to get up” even though he was being cuffed and shackled.
Investigators said that those concerns were not justified by body camera footage showing Greene raising his hands and saying, “OK. OK. I’m sorry” as well as “I’m your bro!” I’m afraid! “I’m afraid!”
One investigator said, “I’ve had an female fight me and put up much more fight than what’m seeing here,” adding that Hollingsworth and Dakota DeMoss (responding trooper) never gave Greene the chance to surrender.
DeMoss was fired recently and also admitted that it was a “rookie” move to handcuff Greene facedown and restrained for nine minutes. Experts have condemned this tactic as dangerous and likely restricted Greene’s breathing.
DeMoss claimed that he felt a “knot in his stomach” after learning Greene’s death.
He told investigators that he could see the paramedics looking at each other. “I felt a sickening, gut-wrenching feeling.”
