Federal prosecutors will not be pressing charges against the white police officers involved in the 2019 deadly arrest of Black driver Ronald Greene near Monroe. The Justice Department informed Greene’s family of its decision today. While federal charges appeared imminent when the FBI launched its probe in 2022, Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says prosecutors ultimately decided that a conviction was no sure thing.
“On the merits, this case was always a very close call about whether the police officers used excessive force, whether they violated the federal civil rights of Mr. Greene,” Ciolino said.
Ciolino says as a result, federal prosecutors closed the book on their investigation without bringing any charges.
“In a criminal case, the prosecution bears the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and prosecutors aren’t going to bring a case that is a very close one,” Ciolino explained.
Ciolino says prosecutors reached their conclusion only after a very exhaustive investigation.
“One thing that, at the least, the family members can take comfort in is this event that led to their loved one’s death was extensively and exhaustively investigated by the FBI,” Ciolino said.
A Louisiana grand jury indicted five officers on state charges. Most of those charges have been dropped; and now, only two officers are facing lesser charges. One pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery, and the other is expected to enter a similar plea soon. A civil suit against the officers is still pending.
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