State Police Lt. Johnny Brown told the State Police Oversight committee that he recommended one of the troopers involved in the Ronald Greene case should be fired, but his immediate supervisor did not follow his advice. Brown made that revelation as he was questioned by Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson.
“Yes, ma’am I’ve made that recommendation before,” said Brown.
“And has it not been followed before?” Jackson asked.
“Yes ma’am, this incident involved the Ronald Greene incident,” Brown responded.
In 2019 Ronald Greene died while in State Police custody after he led troopers on a chase during a traffic stop. Initially, Greene’s family was told he died in a car crash, but an autopsy and police body camera footage contradicted those findings.
Jackson asked Brown if has ever investigated a case in which officers didn’t immediately turn over body camera footage.
“The short answer is yes once, and it’s being investigated,” Brown stated.
Baton Rouge Senator Cleo Fields thanked Brown for appearing before the committee and was upset when he was reminded, he could only ask hypothetical questions regarding Louisiana State Police procedure due to the federal investigation of Greene’s death. Fields also voiced his frustration that others like Brown who’ve shared information with the committee face consequences for doing so.
“Every time someone comes here and tries to tell the truth, every single time, and it really frustrates me, they end up either leaving or retiring from state police or they end up being fired and that agitates me,” said Fields.
During the meeting, State Police Superintendent Colonel Lamar Davis said LSP has hired an outside consulting firm to conduct a $1.5 million review of the agency. Davis said they are “owning it and fixing it” as the agency has been plagued with numerous scandals and is under federal investigation for Greene’s death.
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