Louisiana State Police’s Violent Traffic Arrest Killed Black Motorist, Seven Years Later Family To Receive Settlement

A violent chase by Louisiana State Police during a 2019 traffic stop ended in the death of a Black motorist. The case remained shrouded in secrecy for years as officials declined to release surveillance footage that captured the encounter.

The victim’s family later filed a wrongful-death lawsuit over the actions of five white officers involved in the arrest. Federal prosecutors also declined to bring charges against the officers. Nearly seven years after the incident, the family is now expected to receive a tentative settlement worth millions of dollars.

Five white officers from the Louisiana State Police were responsible for the roadside death of Ronald Greene, right outside Monroe. Authorities initially alleged that the motorist had violated a traffic stop, which led to a violent chase by the officials and ended in his death.

Now, nearly seven years later, Greene’s family is set to receive a proposed $4.8 million settlement. However, the payment still requires approval from the Louisiana Legislature.

A spokesperson for Louisiana State Police declined to comment on the reported settlement terms. Capt. Russell Graham said the process had not yet been finalized. Greene’s family also had not publicly commented on the latest development in the wrongful-death lawsuit.

The killing of Ronald Greene at the hands of the Louisiana police ended up garnering national interest within a very short span of time. While the exact reason for the traffic stop was never specified, the personnel chasing Greene were ultimately able to arrest him.

Video footage from his arrest later revealed that Greene apologized for leading them in the chase. However, the officers were recorded as punching him violently while keeping him in a chokehold. They even pepper-sprayed him and used stun guns to tase him as well. Greene was also dragged face down, while he continued to stay handcuffed and shackled.

They finally left him to die in that same position and refused to call upon paramedics. When Greene’s body was later taken to the hospital, the troopers falsely stated that he died after crashing into a tree during the chase.

Despite the false claim of the troopers, the attending medical examiner clearly noted that the injuries on Greene did not match the story they narrated. It was then that the cops acknowledged that the man had died while struggling during his arrest. They again skipped mentioning their use of brute force on him.

The body camera footage from the incident was kept on hold, even though Greene’s death was ruled a homicide. Later on, the Associated Press got hold of a portion of the clip and released it publicly. The video made it very clear that the troopers had violated the laws and used excessive force.

By December 2022, the five accused troopers were criminally charged for the death of Ronald Greene. Their charges broadly included negligent homicide, ten counts of malfeasance in office, as well as malfeasance and obstruction of justice.