In a case that exemplifies the troubled relationship between law enforcement and Black citizens in Louisiana, former state trooper Kory York walked free this week with a suspended sentence for his role in Ronald Greene’s 2019 death. The outcome stands in stark contrast to the brutality captured on body camera footage and the subsequent pattern of suspicious conduct by officials involved in the case.
A Cancer Survivor’s Final Journey
Ronald Greene, a 49-year-old Black man who had recently achieved remission after a two-year battle with cancer, was driving to Florida to reunite with his wife when Louisiana State Police attempted to pull him over for an unspecified traffic violation. What followed would become a haunting example of police violence and institutional cover-up.
“I’m Your Brother, I’m Scared”
Body camera footage, withheld from the public for nearly two years, reveals Greene’s final conscious moments. As officers approached with weapons drawn, one shouted, “Let me see your f***ing hands motherf**ker.” Greene can be heard pleading, “OK, OK. I’m sorry. I’m scared. Officer, I’m scared, I’m your brother, I’m scared.”
The officers’ response was anything but brotherly. They tased, kicked, and dragged Greene while he moaned in pain. One officer’s casual comment during the encounter revealed…
