Author: Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The fatal 2019 arrest of unarmed black driver Ronald Greene and its aftermath exposed serious failings by Louisiana State Police such as the use of excessive force and a breach of responsibility, the U.S. Justice Department said in a report released on Friday.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Greene, 49, died in May 2019 on the side of a road in rural north Louisiana after a violent confrontation with police officers that followed a high-speed car chase. His death further fueled a national debate about police brutality, particularly against black people.
Officials initially said Greene died driving his car, but body camera footage eventually released showed white officers dragging and beating Greene, who was screaming in fear.
KEY QUOTATIONS
“Mr. Greene’s death and its aftermath demonstrated serious failings in the LSP – excessive force, inadequate supervision, ineffective training and breakdowns in accountability,” the Justice Department said.
“These failures were not isolated, but part of a broader pattern or practice of law enforcement conduct that deprives the people of Louisiana of their constitutional rights,” the 32-page report added.
The report said the Justice Department “has reasonable cause to believe that the Louisiana State Police is engaging in a statewide pattern or practice of using excessive force.”
Louisiana Republican Governor Jeff Landry criticized the report, saying it sought to “diminish the service and exceptionalism of LSP.”
The Justice Department’s Jan. 16 report did not say whether it would take any action.
CONTEXT
The report says the Justice Department has investigated whether police engaged in racially discriminatory policing, but at this point it has only reached conclusions about excessive force.
Greene’s family said Tuesday they were told federal prosecutors would not file charges in his death.
The Justice Department report acknowledged that police had made some reforms after Greene’s death that led to improvements, but called for additional reforms such as improved training, particularly on the use of force, to emphasize less intrusive alternatives before using force.
