State police probe coverup of Ronald Greene video within the department as troopers face firing
BATON ROUGE – A review is underway within Louisiana State Police to determine how nearly two years elapsed before investigators realized there was more video of a deadly encounter between troopers and Ronald Greene.
Greene died while in custody of troopers in Monroe. Amid a series of WBRZ Investigative Unit reports by Chris Nakamoto and the Associated Press, State Police released what it has said is all the video related to the May 2019 encounter.
State Police released video files Friday (May 22) after clips were published earlier in the week by the AP and then broadcast on TV. Initially, State Police chastised the videos being leaked and shown but later released the video publicly.
The Associated Press reported the ranking trooper at the scene falsely told internal investigators Greene was a threat to flee after he was shackled and denied his own body camera captured moments of the confrontation. The ranking trooper, Lt. John Clary, denied the existence of his body camera video for two years until it emerged recently, the AP reported.
State Police told the WBRZ Investigative Unit Tuesday, it was investigating why it took so long for the agency to realize it had the video.
While Clary’s video was released by State Police May 22, he was not included on a list of troopers who have been disciplined related to the incident. As of Tuesday, State Police says Clary is still on active duty.
Already, WBRZ reported on the termination of Chris Hollingsworth, who died in a car crash shortly after State Police informed him of plans to fire him; Dakota DeMoss, who is expected to be fired once the Greene investigation is completed and Kory York. York, State Police have said, was served a 50-hour suspension and remains on leave amid the state and federal investigation into Greene’s death. CNN, though, reported Tuesday (May 25), York is expected to be fired.
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Both York and DeMoss could be let go from State Police before additional investigations are completed, the national media outlet reported through sources.
National attention has focused on Greene’s death amid a series of WBRZ reports.