DA receives Ronald Greene files from feds

Lincoln-Union Parish District Attorney John Belton now has the federal case files on the death of Black motorist Ronald Greene.

The receipt of the files on Thursday moves Belton’s office one step closer toward asking for a special grand jury to seek indictments against Louisiana state troopers and others involved in Greene’s beating death three years ago.

“We will review (the files) as quickly as possible and then ask for a special grand jury, as I initially stated, and move forward,” Belton said late Thursday afternoon following a meeting in Shreveport with U.S. Attorney Brandon Brown, Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Walker and FBI representatives.

Greene, 49, died in state police custody alongside a rural Union Parish road in May 2019 after he led state troopers on a chase that began in Ouachita Parish.

Body camera footage from troopers involved show they repeatedly tased, beat and dragged Greene by ankle shackles after he appeared subdued and was crying out in fright.

LSP claimed Greene died of injuries sustained when he crashed his small SUV.

Federal Department of Justice officials had initially asked Belton to hold off on his investigation while they looked into the incident, but in April, Brown gave Belton the go-ahead to proceed with state prosecution even though the federal probe was still ongoing.

Belton said Thursday his office will begin reviewing the files within days. He said prosecutors will interview the original witnesses as well as any others who may come to light in the new material.

“I want to make sure I cross all my ‘t’s’ and dot the ‘i’s,” he said.