BLACK LIVES MATTER
The Ronald Greene Cover-Up Proves Southern States Need Federal Reforms
Gaps in civil rights protections allow injustices to persist
Editor’s note: This story contains references to a killing and video that many might find disturbing.
Two years ago, 49-year old Ronald Greene died in police custody in Monroe, Louisiana. The medical examiner has not yet provided an official cause of death. Since then, Greene’s family, their lawyers, and local activists have demanded transparency. Their calls went unanswered for years. That all changed when parts of the arrest video leaked. The Louisiana State Police has since released a series of horrifying videos. These clips have since circulated through major news outlets and social media. One thing has become painstakingly clear — authorities lied to Greene’s family and the community.
State troopers initially claimed Greene died from impact in a car crash. Yet 46-minutes of body-cam footage revealed the shocking truth. Officers kicked, punched, shocked, and choked Greene. They shackled him, placing him face down, compromising his airways. We can hear him saying, “I’m your brother! I’m scared! I’m scared!” But his pleas went unanswered.
