On May 10, 2019, Ronald Greene, a 49-year-old Black man, died after a traffic stop that ended in a police chase outside of Monroe, Louisiana. Initially, Louisiana State Police informed Greene's family that he had died as a result of a car crash. However, this narrative began to unravel as evidence emerged suggesting a violent struggle with troopers.
The official story was further contradicted by the full coroner's report which, despite noting high levels of cocaine and alcohol in his system, also revealed a fractured breastbone and a ruptured aorta. In 2022, a medical examiner officially ruled Greene's death a homicide.
The true circumstances of Greene's death were brought to light with the eventual release of body camera footage. The graphic video, which authorities withheld for two years, showed white troopers beating, stunning with a taser, and dragging Greene as he cried out, 'I'm scared!'. The footage depicted Master Trooper Kory York dragging Greene by his ankle shackles and leaving him face down for more than nine minutes. The disturbing images sparked public outrage and led to multiple investigations into the actions of the officers involved and a potential cover-up by the Louisiana State Police. One of the highest-ranking officers at the scene, Lieutenant John Clary, initially and falsely claimed he had no body camera footage of the arrest.
In December 2022, five law enforcement officers were criminally charged in connection with Greene's death. The officers charged included four state troopers and a Union Parish sheriff's deputy. Master Trooper Kory York faced the most serious charge of negligent homicide, along with counts of malfeasance in office. Other officers were charged with malfeasance and obstruction of justice. One of the troopers involved, Chris Hollingsworth, died in a single-vehicle car accident just hours after learning he was going to be fired for his role in the incident.
The legal proceedings that followed saw a series of developments. The negligent homicide charge against Kory York was later dropped by prosecutors. Ultimately, York pleaded no contest to eight counts of simple battery and received a sentence of one year of supervised probation, a $1,000 fine, and 160 hours of community service, avoiding any jail time. Charges against Lieutenant John Clary were also dismissed in exchange for his testimony. Another trooper, Dakota DeMoss, was fired for his involvement in a separate incident of excessive force. The handling of the case and the eventual plea deals drew criticism from Greene's family and community members who felt that justice had not been fully served.
