A Union Parish Grand Jury has indicted five law enforcement officers involved in the 2019 fatal arrest of Ronald Greene. Greene, a Black motorist, was beaten and tased by officers before he died. State Police originally told the family Greene died from injuries suffered in a car crash following a lengthy police chase that started near Monroe and ended on a rural highway in Union Parish.
Master Trooper Kory York faces the harshest charges, one count of negligent homicide and ten counts of malfeasance in office. Greene’s mother, Mona Hardin, was in Baton Rouge when the indictments came down.
“Even though I’m glad for the arrests, it’s what you gonna make out of these arrests there needs to be substantial time for a cop who murders while in uniform, they need to be held accountable,” said Hardin.
Trooper John Cleary was charged with one count of obstruction of justice. Former State Troopers Dakota Demoss and Captain John Peters each face one count of obstruction of justice. Union Parish Deputy Chris Harpin faces three counts of malfeasance in office.
Attorney Ron Haley urges District Attorney John Belton to prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of the law.
“So the march goes on, we’ve been marching for 3.5 years and we we’ll march to the end to make sure there is justice for Ronald Greene,” said Haley.
Eugene Collins President of the Baton Rouge branch of the NAACP wishes the charges were more significant.
“Although the gravity of the charges is not exactly what we he hoped for we are not remiss to think that this historic in Louisiana to have five indictments on five troopers,” said Collins.
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