Louisiana police have agreed to pay $5 million to settle claims brought on behalf of Ronald Greene’s daughter. The deal resolves a long-running civil case tied to Greene’s death during an encounter with Louisiana State Police troopers in May 2019.
Greene, a Black man, died after a violent arrest following a high-speed chase near Monroe. His death didn’t draw wide scrutiny until 2021, when body-camera footage surfaced showing troopers stunning, beating, and dragging him facedown. State Police had told Greene’s family he died in a car crash — a claim the footage contradicted.
The $5 million payout goes to Greene’s daughter. Specific terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed beyond that figure, and it’s unclear whether any of the officers involved face further civil exposure.
Criminal accountability has been harder to secure. A federal civil rights investigation into the troopers dragged on for years. Louisiana’s handling of the case — from the initial crash story to the delayed release of video — drew sharp criticism from Greene’s relatives and civil rights groups who said the department tried to cover up what happened.
The settlement doesn’t end all legal threads. Whether additional claims from other family members or related parties are still pending isn’t clear from the announcement. The $5 million figure, while concrete, doesn’t account for whatever discipline or criminal proceedings may still be unresolved against individual troopers.
Reported by The Root. Read the original report.
