Ronald Greene’s Mom Decries Police ‘Coverup’ After Bodycam Footage Airs: ‘Organized Crime Within the State of Louisiana’

Under mounting pressure, Louisiana State Police on Friday night released all body camera footage that captured the violent and fatal arrest of Ronald Greene in 2019. Initially police said Greene, a 49-year-old Black man, died after crashing his vehicle into a tree. However, his injuries were inconsistent with that account.

The Associated Press obtained some of the body camera footage of the arrest and released it earlier this week. It shows state troopers tasing, choking, punching, and kicking Greene. At one point, a beaten and bloodied Greene is dragged along the ground by ankle shackles. During the footage, Greene can be heard pleading with officers to stop attacking him.

Greene’s mother, Mona Hardin, and the family’s attorney Ron Haley spoke with Anderson Cooper on Friday night. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Hardin called police actions “a coverup from the very beginning, from the top down.”

“It’s organized crime within the state of Louisiana, especially Troop F,” she said.

“What should happen,” said Haley, “Is everyone that put their hands on Ronnie Greene should be arrested. And two minutes after they’re arrested, anyone that participated in the coverup should follow them right into the jail cell.”

Greene was arrested near Monroe, LA after leading police on a high-speed chase before eventually stopping his vehicle, at which point he appeared to be complying with troopers’ commands. Nevertheless, police attacked him.

Troopers can be heard on the body camera footage swearing at Greene and commenting about the arrest. “I hope this guy ain’t got f*cking AIDS,” said one.

Greene expressed her anger and exasperation with state police.

“It’s unbelievable. This is two years. This is two years. It’s been a battle from the moment we heard of it. All of last year, all the year before, it’s absolutely degrading. It’s shameful for the state of Louisiana, and all those who run that state. We were told from the very beginning you’re gonna have a long – this is going to be a long battle for you because the state troopers run the state of Louisiana, not the government, the state troopers.

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Greene’s death.

Watch above via CNN.