Body camera shows Black man being tased, kicked and dragged by Louisiana troopers before his death
Ronald Greene, a Black man who died after a pursuit by Louisiana State Police in 2019, can be heard apologizing to officers and telling them he was scared before being tased, dragged and kicked in newly obtained body camera video by the Associated Press.
The AP posted three clips, totaling just over two minutes in length, from the video it says was 46 minutes long. CNN has not obtained the original video and does not know what else can be seen in the unpublished parts of the video.
CNN previously reported that Greene died after struggling with law enforcement following a pursuit that ended in a crash on May 10, 2019, according to a preliminary report from the criminal investigations division of the Louisiana State Patrol (LSP).
In the video, an officer approaches Greene’s vehicle with a weapon drawn and says, “Let me see your f**king hands m*therf**ker.”
Greene’s car door is opened and you can hear a Taser going off. Greene can be heard saying, “OK, OK. I’m sorry. I’m scared. Officer, I’m scared, I’m your brother, I’m scared,” as it appears he is being taken out of the vehicle.
Another video clip, obtained by the AP, shows officers forcing Greene onto the ground. An officer says, “Taser, Taser,” and Greene can be heard screaming.
After being tased, Greene can be heard moaning while still on the ground and being put in handcuffs by one officer, while another officer kicks him several times. An officer can be heard saying, “I’ve got blood all over me, I hope this guy ain’t got f**king AIDS,” as Greene continues to moan.
The Associated Press reports that Greene is left lying face down moaning for more than nine minutes while officers used sanitizer wipes to wash blood off their hands and faces. This is not in any of the video segments the AP has posted online.
The US Department of Justice confirmed to CNN that its Civil Rights Division is investigating the incident, along with the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the FBI.
In a statement, the LSP told CNN it did not release the video and that it was not authorized or obtained by official sources. LSP said it remained under direction by investigating agencies to not release any evidence or further information on the case.
CNN has reached out to the officers’ attorneys for comment on the video.
The initial state police crash report does not mention troopers using force or arresting Greene. The first mention of a struggle came when the in-custody death was investigated by the Louisiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division.
The initial report from the LSP said that two troopers pursued a vehicle being driven by Greene following an attempt to pull over Greene for an unspecified traffic violation, and the pursuit ended when Greene crashed his vehicle.
“Greene was taken into custody after resisting arrest and a struggle with Troopers,” the report says. “A short time later Greene became unresponsive and was transported to Glenwood Medical Center by Pafford Medical Service.”
He died on the way to the hospital, the report said.
Two officers involved in the incident were reprimanded for their actions that night, including not following procedures in relation to their body-worn cameras. One of those officers is on administrative leave related to a separate incident, and the other received a 50-hour suspension, according to an LSP spokesperson. A third officer died in a single-vehicle crash in September.
Greene’s family filed a federal wrongful death suit filed on May 6, 2020, which alleges Greene was “brutalized by Louisiana State Police and Union Parish Deputy Officers which caused his death.” The lawsuit alleges officers “used lethal force” against him. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. An attorney for the Greene family told CNN that case is stayed pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
