Federal prosecutors announced on Tuesday that they would not pursue charges related to the fatal 2019 arrest of Black motorist Ronald Greene, thereby concluding an extensive FBI investigation into the conduct of several white troopers. Greene faced stun guns, physical assault, and being dragged along a roadside, while there were also allegations about efforts by the Louisiana State Police to cover up the incident.
The U.S. Justice Department made the decision known to Greene’s family while preparing to share findings from a comprehensive civil rights investigation that identified a troubling pattern of excessive force used by state troopers against individuals. Two officials familiar with the matter disclosed this information on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the anticipated announcement expected later this week.
Initiated in 2022, the “pattern-or-practice” investigation was prompted by an earlier Associated Press report highlighting Greene’s case as part of a broader list of incidents where state troopers reportedly ignored misconduct, covered up evidence of violence, and deflected blame. Among these incidents was a shocking case where a white trooper brutally beat a Black male suspect with a flashlight, resulting in severe injuries including a broken jaw and ribs.
Greene’s mother, Mona Hardin, expressed her disappointment in remarks to the press following her meeting with prosecutors. “There’s no closure here,” she said, indicating her expectation of this outcome. “They’re just pouring sugar on s—-.”
Investigative reports also uncovered violent incidents involving white suspects, where troopers mocked a victim’s condition in text messages, trivializing his grave injuries and suggesting he deserved such treatment because he resisted arrest.
Federal authorities had opened various grand jury inquiries into several cases arising from the investigation but ultimately shelved most without taking action. In Greene’s case, there was significant indecision over the years about whether to indict the officers involved, whose shocking actions were captured on body camera footage shortly after a high-speed chase near Monroe, Louisiana.
The footage, which was withheld by officials for two years until its release in 2021, depicted a chaotic scene where Greene appeared to beg for compassion, exclaiming he was scared, while troopers aggressively used stun guns on him before he could leave his vehicle. They also subjected him to physical violence, including a chokehold, and ordered him to lie face-down, which experts later indicated could have put his breathing in jeopardy.
Initially, authorities ascribed Greene’s death to an accident that occurred after a car chase related to a traffic violation. However, doubts arose when images from the scene revealed extensive bruising on Greene’s body and medical reports indicating he had been shocked with stun guns. An emergency room doctor doubted the legitimacy of the crash explanation in his notes, stating: “Does not add up.”
A subsequent autopsy determined by the FBI refuted the crash narrative, listing “prone restraint” among the factors contributing to Greene’s death, alongside neck compression and a physical struggle.
There appeared to be a strong likelihood of a federal indictment, leading prosecutors to ask local authorities to refrain from pressing state charges while the federal inquiry was ongoing. However, changes occurred in late 2022 when a state grand jury indicted five officers on charges of negligent homicide and other offenses.
Ultimately, the state prosecution diminished, leaving only two officers with charges; one admitted to misdemeanor battery last year, while the other is also expected to plead similarly this week.
A major obstacle to federal charges arose from the untimely passing of Chris Hollingsworth, the trooper recorded on video striking Greene multiple times with a flashlight, who had also boasted about his actions shortly before his death in a vehicle crash in 2020.
Another complicating factor was the challenge of proving that the troopers’ actions were done “willfully,” a necessary criterion for civil rights violations—an issue that has complicated prosecutions nationwide. Federal investigators even attempted to enhance video footage of the arrest to clarify whether Greene had been pepper-sprayed after being taken into custody.
The investigation also scrutinized higher-ranking officials in the state police suspected of obstructing justice by suppressing evidence and influencing the course of the inquiry.
Additionally, a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed by Greene’s family four years ago is still pending, seeking compensation from the officers involved, who have denied any wrongdoing. This civil suit has remained on hold as the criminal proceedings unfolded.
