Corrupt State Trooper Get Sentence After Causing A $4.5M Lawsuit.

Ajouté : 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Somebody called because they're getting nervous.

[00:00:02]>> exercising. You can see you can have >> you exercising.

[00:00:06]>> Wait, you can have >> I just got here. I'm trying to talk to you and you're being tough.

[00:00:08]>> I I understand. I understand. But but I'm allowed to go, right?

[00:00:12]>> Look.

[00:00:13]>> Am I >> I'M JUST ASKING WHY SOMEBODY would have called and said that.

[00:00:17]>> right?

[00:00:17]>> One officer can be heard saying, "I beat the ever-living [ __ ] out of him."

[00:00:22]Another says, "Choke them in everything trying to get him under control." Those words were not spoken by critics of police conduct. They were captured on audio from officers involved in the arrest itself. For more than 2 years after Ronald Greene died on a dark Louisiana roadway, officials publicly suggested the primary cause was injuries from a car crash following a police pursuit. But when body camera footage was finally released in 2021, the public saw something very different. A handcuffed man pleading for mercy.

[00:00:56]Multiple troopers using force.

[00:00:58]And a death that would trigger federal investigations, civil rights scrutiny, national outrage, and one of the most controversial police accountability cases in modern Louisiana history. So, how did a routine traffic pursuit turn into a federal civil rights case that continues to raise questions years later? One piece of knowledge can change how a situation ends for you. Subscribe now so you're prepared. Then share this video and tell me what you think about it in the comments. And what does the law say about what happened that night?

[00:01:30]Ronald Greene was a 49-year-old black barber from Monroe, Louisiana. Friends and family described him as hardworking, energetic, and well-known in his community.

[00:01:40]>> that she saw John put an object with a handle in his backpack and that he was hiding behind the bushes. It is lawful to carry a concealed weapon in Florida and the officers did not corroborate the alleged hiding as he was simply walking on the sidewalk when they arrived. For these reasons, John has a compelling argument that the officers did not have reasonable suspicion to detain him on suspicion of loitering or prowling.

[00:02:01]>> No problem.

[00:02:02]Thank you. Yeah, yeah.

[00:02:04]>> I know what we're going to have to do.

[00:02:05]We have your information.

[00:02:06]>> All right.

[00:02:09]>> He was not a celebrity. He was not a political figure. He was a local businessman and father who, on the night of May 10th, 2019, found himself driving through rural Union Parish in northern Louisiana. Exactly why Green failed to stop immediately when Louisiana State Police attempted a traffic stop remains a matter of discussion. Records indicate troopers initiated a pursuit after attempting to stop his vehicle. What began as a traffic enforcement encounter soon escalated into a high-speed chase.

[00:02:41]For officers, pursuits can be among the most dangerous events they face. A fleeing driver creates uncertainty.

[00:02:48]Troopers do not know whether they are dealing with an intoxicated driver, someone carrying contraband, a person experiencing a mental health crisis, or an individual wanted for a serious crime. But what happened after the pursuit ended is what transformed this case into a national story. Because once Green's vehicle came to a stop, the legal and factual questions changed dramatically. The pursuit eventually came to an end when Green's vehicle left the roadway. Body camera footage released years later shows a chaotic scene. Troopers approach. Commands are shouted. Weapons are drawn. "Get your hands up. Get out of the car. On the ground." Green exits the vehicle. At one point, he appears frightened and disoriented. According to the video, Green can be heard saying words that would later become central to public discussion. "I'm sorry. I'm scared." As officers move in, physical force follows. The video shows troopers wrestling Green to the ground. Strikes are delivered. A taser is deployed.

[00:03:54]Officers attempt to gain control of his arms. The situation rapidly deteriorates.

[00:03:59]Green continues pleading, "I'm your brother. I'm scared."

[00:04:04]The encounter lasts only minutes, but those minutes would later be examined frame by frame by investigators, attorneys, journalists, and civil rights experts. Now, this is important. At this point in the incident, the central issue was no longer whether Green had fled police. The question became whether the force being used after his capture was reasonable under the circumstances. And that distinction matters because under American law a suspect's earlier actions do not automatically justify unlimited force once officers gain control. Let's pause here and examine the first major legal issue. Generally speaking, officers have authority to stop vehicles, investigate traffic violations, and arrest individuals who flee from law enforcement. A driver who leads police on a pursuit can reasonably be viewed as creating significant public safety concerns. Courts often allow officers considerable discretion when dealing with actively resisting or fleeing suspects. But there are limits.

[00:05:05]The legal standard frequently examined in excessive force cases is whether the force used was objectively reasonable under the circumstances. Courts may consider factors such as how serious was the suspected offense? Was the suspect actively resisting? Did officers reasonably perceive an immediate threat?

[00:05:24]Was the suspect attempting to flee?

[00:05:26]Importantly, this analysis is highly fact specific. A suspect who is actively fighting officers presents one scenario.

[00:05:34]A suspect who is restrained, controlled, or no longer resisting presents another.

[00:05:40]And this is where many police use of force cases become controversial. The legal question is often not whether force was justified at the beginning.

[00:05:48]It's whether every level of force remained justified as circumstances changed. A court may look carefully at the moment force was applied, the information officers had available, and whether alternative options existed.

[00:06:01]Back at the scene, the encounter continues. Body camera footage shows Green eventually restrained, but the physical struggle does not immediately end. Video and investigative records later reviewed by federal authorities raised serious questions about the amount and nature of force used. At one point, Green appears largely under officer control. Officers continue handling him as they attempt to secure the scene. Meanwhile, Green's condition begins deteriorating. The footage captures increasing concern regarding his physical state. Eventually, Green becomes unresponsive. Medical assistance is requested, but here's where things changed from a controversial arrest into a major accountability controversy. In the days and months that followed, public explanations regarding Green's death became the subject of intense scrutiny. Questions emerged about what information had been provided to Green's family. Questions emerged about reports describing the cause of death. Questions emerged about whether investigators and supervisors had received complete information, and those questions only grew louder after body camera footage became public. Because viewers were able to compare official explanations against what they could see with their own eyes.

[00:07:15]At this point, the legal issue becomes much deeper than a simple excessive force allegation. This case touches on constitutional limits, officer reporting obligations, supervisory accountability, and institutional transparency.

[00:07:29]Generally speaking, force that may be lawful during an active struggle can become unlawful if it continues after a suspect no longer poses a threat. That distinction has been central in many federal civil rights cases. Another issue involves reporting. Law enforcement agencies depend on accurate documentation. Supervisors make decisions based on reports. Prosecutors rely on reports. Courts rely on reports.

[00:07:56]The public relies on reports. If critical facts are omitted, minimized, or inaccurately described, accountability systems can break down.

[00:08:05]In January 2025, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division released findings regarding Louisiana State Police that identified broader concerns involving use of force and accountability systems. While every individual incident must be evaluated on its own facts, federal investigators concluded systemic issues existed regarding patterns and practices within the agency. And this is where officer discretion matters. An action can be technically authorized at one stage of an encounter, but still raise serious policy concerns if officers failed to reassess changing circumstances. Good policing requires continual reassessment. The law does not simply ask what happened. It asks whether officers adapted their actions as the situation evolved. The aftermath of Ronald Greene's death stretched across years. His family sought answers.

[00:08:57]Journalists continued investigating.

[00:08:59]Body camera footage remained a subject of public debate. In 2021, Louisiana State Police released body camera footage that intensified scrutiny of the case. The release generated national headlines and renewed calls for accountability. Meanwhile, Greene's family pursued legal action through a federal wrongful death lawsuit known as Greene versus DeMoss in the United States District Court of the Western District of Louisiana. The lawsuit alleged violations of Greene's constitutional rights and challenged the conduct of officers involved in the encounter. Multiple investigations followed over over years. The case attracted attention from state officials, federal authorities, civil rights organizations, and the media.

[00:09:42]Some questions have been addressed through investigative findings and court filings. Others remain the subject of ongoing legal processes and public debate. What is clear is that the case became one of the most significant police accountability controversies in Louisiana history. So, what should we make of all this?

[00:10:01]First, it's important to acknowledge the officers' perspective. Ronald Greene had fled from law enforcement. Pursuits are dangerous. Officers arriving at the end of a chase face uncertainty and risk.

[00:10:13]Those concerns are real. But, accountability requires looking beyond the initial justification for contact.

[00:10:19]Did officers have legal authority to stop Greene? Almost certainly. Did they have authority to arrest him after the pursuit? Likely, yes. But, having authority does not automatically mean every subsequent action was lawful, wise, ethical, or necessary. The body camera footage created serious questions regarding proportionality, force, supervision, and transparency. The Department of Justice findings added broader concerns regarding institutional practices. And, the civil litigation reflects the continuing effort to determine legal responsibility. From an accountability standpoint, one of the most troubling aspects of this case is not merely the force itself. It's the apparent gap between what happened on video and what many members of the public initially understood had happened. Transparency is essential because public trust depends on accurate information. When major discrepancies appear between official explanations and documented evidence, damage in confidence in institutions suffers. And, that damage can extend far beyond a single incident. Cases like this remind us why accountability systems exist.

[00:11:29]Police officers perform difficult and dangerous work. They often make decisions in rapidly evolving situations, but those decisions still must be subject to review. For the public, the lesson is straightforward.