This image from video from Louisiana state police state trooper Dakota DeMoss' body-worn camera, shows trooper Kory York bending over with his foot on Ronald Greene's shoulder after he was taken into custody on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La. (Louisiana State Police via AP)
A former state trooper has reached a plea deal in connection with the death of Ronald Greene.
Kory York was originally charged with one count of negligent homicide and ten counts of malfeasance.
In accordance with his plea deal reach in Union Parish, York pleaded no contest to eight misdemeanor counts of simple battery.
“He was sentenced to six months suspended on each count to run concurrently,” said York’s attorney, Mike Small; “and fined $1,000.”
York will also serve one year probation, and he will have to perform 160 hours of community service.
If he violates his probation, he will be required to serve his prison sentence.
In May of 2019, Greene was killed after LSP Troop F troopers tried to initiate a traffic stop but were led on a chase that ended in Union Parish.
Body camera video shows white officers beating and dragging Greene, who was Black, as he begged for mercy.
Small says York pleaded no contest so that it couldn’t be used against him in his civil case, which is still pending and which Small is not involved in. In his criminal case, York was handed his sentence following his no contest plea.
Small says while he was confident that he could have gotten an acquittal on all charges, his client did not want to take any chances.
“There’s a danger that they could compromise and acquit, let’s say, on seven counts but convict on one,” says Small. “And frankly, a conviction on one count is as bad as a conviction on all eight counts.”
Prosecutors had previously dropped the most serious charge of negligent homicide.
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