Arraignment date set for troopers in Ronald Greene death

(lailluminator.com) – A date has been set for five white troopers with Louisiana State Police to be formally charged for their alleged roles in the May 2019 death of Black motorist Ronald Greene. Their arraignment is set for April 11 in Third Judicial District Court, which covers Lincoln and Union parishes, our partners at KALB-TV report.

A status conference took place Tuesday with Judge Thomas Rogers, District Attorney John Belton and lawyers for the five troopers. The prosecution has a March 14 deadline to respond to claims from the defense.

Trooper Kory York faces a negligent homicide charge and 10 counts of malfeasance in office. The four other troopers are charged with malfeasance and obstruction of justice.

A sixth trooper, Chris Hollingsworth, died in an car wreck before charges were handed down but after admitting he used his flashlight to beat Greene.

Greene died after leading troopers on a vehicle pursuit that ended with him crashing into a tree in rural Union Parish. Video from the troopers’ body-worn cameras shows Greene being beaten, kicked, dragged and shot with stun guns.

State Police and the initial autopsy attributed Greene’s death to the car crash, but a subsequent review of the forensic medical report led to a different conclusion. Details of the fatal incident didn’t emerge until Greene’s family sued State Police for wrongful death.

This article originally published in the February 20, 2023 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.