Written by Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The fatal 2019 arrest of unarmed black motorist Ronald Green and its aftermath showed serious failures in the Louisiana State Police such as excessive use of force and a breakdown in accountability, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a report released on Friday.
Why is it important
Green, 49, died in May 2019 on the side of a road in rural north Louisiana after a violent confrontation with officers that followed a high-speed car chase. His death sparked a national debate about police brutality, especially against black men.
Officials initially said Green died while driving, but body camera footage eventually released revealed that white officers were pulling over and hitting Green, who was screaming in fear.
Key quotes
“Mr. Green's death and its aftermath demonstrated serious failings at LSP – excessive force, inappropriate supervision, ineffective training, and a breakdown in accountability,” the Justice Department said.
“These failures were not isolated, but part of a larger pattern or practice of law enforcement conduct that deprives people in Louisiana of their rights under the Constitution,” the 32-page report added.
The Justice Department “has reasonable cause to believe that the Louisiana State Police is engaged in a statewide pattern or practice of using excessive force,” the report said.
Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry criticized the report, saying it attempted to “minimize LSP service and exceptions.”
The Justice Department's January 16 report did not say whether it would take any action.
Context
The report said that the Ministry of Justice looked into whether the police had engaged in acts of racial discrimination, but at present it had only reached findings of excessive force.
Green's family said Tuesday that they have been informed that federal prosecutors will not file charges in his death.
The Ministry of Justice report acknowledged that police had made some reforms after Green's death that had led to improvements but urged further reforms such as improving training, particularly regarding the use of force, to focus on less intrusive alternatives before using force.
