Two Louisiana law enforcement officers involved in the 2019 death of Ronald Greene had their obstruction of justice charges dismissed this week. The case, initially reported as a car crash fatality, gained notoriety after body camera footage revealed a brutal encounter where white officers were seen beating, dragging, and tasing the Black motorist.
Five officers were initially indicted for their roles in Greene's arrest. Trooper Dakota DeMoss, who deactivated his body camera audio during much of the arrest, and then-Troop Commander John Peters, accused of instructing detectives to suppress evidence, had their obstruction charges dropped by Judge Thomas Rogers. The judge determined their actions didn't legally constitute "tampering."
This image from video taken from Louisiana state police trooper Dakota DeMoss's body-worn camera, shows trooper Kory York with his foot on Ronald Greene's shoulder after he was taken into custody on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La. (Associated Press)
However, obstruction charges remain against Officer John Clary for allegedly withholding a crucial 30-minute bodycam recording, the only footage capturing Greene's final moments. Other felony charges, including negligent homicide against Trooper Kory York, who was seen dragging Greene by his shackles and leaving him prone for an extended period, are still pending. Judge Rogers has instructed prosecutors to amend certain indictment language or risk further dismissals, particularly concerning malfeasance charges against York and two other officers.
The incident unfolded on May 10, 2019, when Greene led troopers on a high-speed chase. After crashing his vehicle, officers swarded Greene's SUV. Bodycam footage reveals officers repeatedly using a stun gun on Greene, who can be heard expressing fear. The footage then shows a trooper wrestling Greene to the ground, placing him in a chokehold, and punching him in the face. Another officer is recorded using a derogatory term towards Greene. York is then allegedly seen dragging the handcuffed and shackled Greene face down and leaving him in that position for around nine minutes.
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This image from video from Louisiana state trooper Lt. John Clary's body-worn camera shows trooper Kory York standing over Ronald Greene on his stomach on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La. The state police released body-camera footage of the deadly arrest Friday. (Louisiana State Police via AP)
A separate video reportedly features Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth, who later died in a single-vehicle accident, admitting to severely beating Greene. Greene's family has filed a lawsuit alleging officers left him in critical condition and then falsified his cause of death. The Department of Justice initiated an investigation into the Louisiana State Police in 2022 for alleged inaction regarding police brutality cases, primarily involving Black men.
