BREAKING NEWS STORY TONIGHT THAT
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IS
DISTURBING.
I WILL WARN YOU NOW THAT WHAT
IM ABOUT TO DESCRIBE, SOME OF
IT WILL BE HARD TO HEAR.
I WILL ALSO WARN YOU IM GOING
TO PLAY SOME TAPE IN A COUPLE OF
MINUTES THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL
FIND HARD TO WATCH.
I CERTAINLY DID.
BUT WHEN THIS STORY BROKE TODAY,
EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE STORIES OF
THIS TYPE THAT SEEM LIKE THEY
BREAK ALL THE TIME, THIS ONE IN
PARTICULAR JUST SEEMED TO STOP
THE NEWS IN ITS TRACKS.
CERTAINLY FOR EVERYBODY WHO
WORKS ON THIS SHOW, IT STOPPED
US ALL IN OUR TRACKS.
YOU CANT REALLY MOVE ON ONCE
YOUVE SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IT HAPPENED IN THE EARLY HOURS
OF MAY 10, 2019.
AND IN WEST MONROE, LOUISIANA,
THERE IS A HOSPITAL THERE CALLED
GLENWOOD REGIONAL MEDICAL
CENTER.
AND THAT NIGHT, MAY 10, 2019,
THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT THAT
HOSPITAL RECEIVED AN AMBULANCE,
AND THE AMBULANCE HELD A
49-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO WAS
HANDCUFFED TO A GURNEY.
HE WAS ALREADY DECEASED WHEN THE
AMBULANCE PULLED INTO GLENWOOD
REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AND THEY
WHEELED HIM INTO THE ER.
THE AMBULANCE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE.
AND THE POLICE THAT NIGHT TOLD
THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR WHO
WAS ATTENDING THIS AMBULANCE
THAT THE MAN WHO WAS DEAD IN THE
AMBULANCE HAD DIED ON IMPACT
WHEN HE CRASHED HIS CAR INTO A
TREE.
THAT WAS THE EXPLANATION FOR WHY
THIS MAN WAS DEAD WHEN HE
ARRIVED AT THE ER.
AND THE DOCTOR EXAMINED THE
BODY, EXAMINED THE MAN WHO HAD
BEEN RUNNING THE AMBULANCE,
NOTED IN HIS DOCTORS NOTES THAT
THE MAN WAS COVERED IN BLOOD,
AND COVERED IN BRUISES.
BUT HE ALSO NOTED THE MAN HAD
TWO TASER PRONGS HANGING OUT OF
HIS BACK.
WAIT A MINUTE.
THIS WAS SUPPOSEDLY A CAR CRASH
CASUALTY.
THEYRE SAYING HE CRASHED INTO A
TREE, DIED ON IMPACT.
DID THE TREE TASE HIM?
AFTER HE HIT IT?
THE ER DOCTOR NOTED ALL THIS IN
HIS NOTES AND ACTUALLY WROTE IN
HIS NOTES THAT NIGHT, HE WROTE,
QUOTE, DOES NOT ADD UP.
BECAUSE, RIGHT, IT DID NOT ADD
UP.
AND YET THAT REALLY WAS THE
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION THAT
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE TRIED TO
GO WITH FOR HOW A 49-YEAR-OLD
BARBER IN WEST MONROE,
LOUISIANA, A MAN NAMED RONALD
GREENE, THATS THE STORY THEY
TRIED TO TELL ABOUT HOW HE DIED
THAT NIGHT.
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE TOLD MR.
GREENES FAMILY THAT HE DIED
WHEN HE CRASHED HIS CAR DURING A
CHASE.
THEY SAID TROOPERS SAID THEY HAD
TRIED TO PULL HIM OVER FOR AN
UNSPECIFIED TRAFFIC VIOLATION
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT, 30 MILES
SOUTH OF THE ARKANSAS STATE LINE
OUTSIDE MONROE.
THEY SAID HE DIED ON IMPACT WHEN
HE CRASHED INTO A TREE.
IT TOOK THE ER DOCTOR POINTING
OUT THE FREAKING TASER PRONGS
STILL HANGING OUT OF HIS BACK,
IT TOOK MR. GREENES FAMILY
FILING A WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT,
FOR POLICE TO ADMIT, OKAY, YES,
SOMETHING ELSE MIGHT HAVE
HAPPENED.
THEY CANT COME UP FOR AN
EXPLANATION FOR HOW THE TREE
FIRED THE TASER PRONGS INTO HIM.
POLICE RELEASED A ONE-PAGE NEW
REPORT WITH A NEW EXPLANATION
THAT SAID, QUOTE, GREENE WAS
TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER
RESISTING ARREST AND A STRUGGLE
WITH TROOPERS.
AND THEN INEXPLICABLY, HE
BECAME, QUOTE, UNRESPONSIVE.
HE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE.
AND DIED ON HIS WAY TO THE
HOSPITAL.
THE REPORT DID NOT DESCRIBE ANY
USE OF FORCE BY THE TROOPERS IN
THIS INSTANCE.
AND THAT WAS LITERALLY ALL THE
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE SAID
ABOUT THE DEATH OF RONALD GREEN.
THATS ALL THEY HAVE EVER SAID.
TO THIS DAY, MORE THAN TWO YEARS
LATER, THE LOUISIANA STATE
POLICE HAVE STILL GIVEN NO
FURTHER EXPLANATION OF RONALD
GREENES DEATH IN THEIR CUSTODY.
AND CRUCIALLY, FOR ALL OF THIS
TIME, THEY HAVE REFUSED TO
RELEASE THE TROOPERS BODY
CAMERA FOOTAGE FROM THAT NIGHT.
IT TOOK 474 DAYS AFTER MR.
GREENE DIED FOR THE STATE POLICE
TO EVEN OPEN AN INTERNAL
INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT
HAPPENED.
AND THAT WAS ONLY WHEN THEIR
HAND WAS FORCED.
SUMMER OF PROTESTS OVER THE
POLICE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD IN
MINNEAPOLIS HAD PUT THE
SPOTLIGHT BACK ON CASES LIKE MR.
GREENES.
PERHAPS MORE PRESCIENTLY IN
TERMS OF SEEING WHAT IMPACT IT
MIGHT HAVE, MR. GREENES FAMILY
ALSO TOOK THE RADICAL STEP OF
RELEASING GRAPHIC PHOTOS TO THE
PUBLIC IN AN EFFORT TO
DEMONSTRATE TO THE PUBLIC THAT
THE POLICE EXPLANATION OF WHAT
KILLED RONALD GREENE WAS A
RIDICULOUS EXPLANATION.
THEY RELEASED PHOTOS OF THE
CONDITION OF THE BODY WHEN THEY
RECEIVED IT.
THEY SHOWED DEEP BRUISES, DEEP
CUTS TO RONALD GREENES FACE AND
SCALP.
THEY ALSO SHOWED HIS VEHICLE.
THEY RELEASED A PHOTO OF HIS
VEHICLE.
ITS THE CAR HE HAD BEEN DRIVING
THE NIGHT THAT HE DIED.
IT SHOWED THE CAR WAS ONLY
MILDLY DAMAGED.
THE AIRBAGS HADNT DEPLOYED.
THIS WAS NOT A CAR THAT HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED IN A MAJOR CRASH
THAT MORTALLY WOUNDED ITS
DRIVER.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED
IT HAD OPENED A CIVIL RIGHTS
INVESTIGATION INTO RONALD
GREENES DEATH.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW BAD IT HAS
TO LOOK FOR TRUMPS JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT TO OPEN AN
INVESTIGATION?
THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE STILL
WOULDNT RELEASE THE BODY CAM
FOOTAGE, WOULD NOT AFFORD ANY
FURTHER EXPLANATION OF WHAT
HAPPENED.
LAST SEPTEMBER THEY DECIDED TO
FIRE ONE OF THE OFFICERS
INVOLVED IN MR. GREENES DEATH
ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD NOT SAY WHY
THEY WERE FIRING HIM.
TRAGICALLY, THAT OFFICER DIED IN
A SINGLE VEHICLE CAR CRASH JUST
HOURS AFTER HE WAS TOLD THAT HE
WAS FIRED.
DAYS LATER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OBTAINED AUDIO OF THAT SAME
OFFICER DESCRIBING HOW HE BEAT
AND CHOKED RONALD GREENE THE
NIGHT OF HIS DEATH, ON A
RECORDING FROM HIS BODY CAM
MICROPHONE, THAT OFFICER, WHO
WAS IN THE ONE-CAR CRASH, WAS
HEARD TELLING SOMEBODY VERY
MATTER-OF-FACTLY THAT HE QUOTE,
BEAT THE EVER LIVING "F" OUT OF
RONALD GREEN.
HE SAID, QUOTE, CHOKED HIM AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
HE WAS SPITTING BLOOD EVERYWHERE
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE JUST WENT
LIMP.
AFTER THAT HORRIFYING REPORTING,
RONALD GREENES FAMILY WAS
FINAL, AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF,
ALLOWED TO SEE THE BODY CAM
FOOTAGE THE NIGHT THAT HE DIED.
MR. GREENES MOTHER AND SISTER
WAILED LIKE THEY WERE AT A
FUNERAL WHEN THEY FINALLY SAW
THE FOOTAGE.
IT WAS DAMNING FOOTAGE THAT
SHOWED THE TROOPERS BEATING
RONALD GREENE, REPEATEDLY
JOLTING HIM WITH TASERS,
DRAGGING HIM FACE DOWN ACROSS
THE PAVEMENT.
THE ATTORNEY, LEE MERRITT, WHO
WATCHED THE FOOTAGE, TOLD THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS THE VIDEO WAS
VERY DIFFICULT TO WATCH, ONE OF
THOSE VIDEOS LIKE GEORGE FLOYD
OR EVEN AHMAUD AUBREY WHERE IT
IS SO GRAPHIC.
TODAY WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT
TODAY WE LEARNED TO OUR
COLLECTIVE HORROR THAT THE
ATTORNEY FOR THE GREENE FAMILY
WAS RIGHT WHEN HE DESCRIBED IT
THAT WAY, BECAUSE TODAY THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS OBTAINED AND
PUBLISHED EDITED EXCERPTS FROM
THE LOUISIANA STATE TROOPERS
BODY CAM FOOTAGE FROM THE NIGHT
RONALD GREENE DIED.
AND ILL TELL YOU, THIS STOPPED
THE NEWS TODAY FOR A REASON.
IM GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME OF
WHAT THE AP PUBLISHED TODAY.
AS I SAID, IT IS NOT A PLEASURE
TO WATCH.
THAT IS A GRAVE UNDERSTATEMENT.
IT IS DISTURBING TO WATCH.
AND THE NIGHTMARISH NATURE OF
THE VIDEO OF THIS INCIDENT IS
COMPOUND BY HOW LONG THIS WAS
KEPT SECRET, HOW BLATANTLY STATE
TROOPERS LIED ABOUT WHAT REALLY
HAPPENED.
THERE IS SOMETHING EVEN WORSE
ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE ONLY
SEEING THIS FOOTAGE NOW ONLY TWO
YEARS AFTER THE FACT AND NOT
BECAUSE THE POLICE FINALLY
DECIDED TO RELEASE IT BUT
BECAUSE A DOGGED REPORTER FROM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WAS FINALLY
ABLE TO GET IT, AND THATS THE
ONLY REASON IT WAS ABLE TO GET
OUT.
ITS OVER TWO YEARS SINCE THIS
HAS HAPPENED AND THEY HAD THIS
ALL THE TIME.
HERE IS THE FIRST BIT OF VIDEO
WERE GOING TO PLAY TONIGHT.
THIS IS WHERE POLICE APPROACH
RONALD GREENES CAR, THEY HAVE
BEEN CHASING HIM, THE CHASE HAS
COME TO AN END.
THIS FOOTAGE IS EXCERPTED AND
EDITED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
THEY DONT HAVE THE RAW TAPE.
THE FULL FOOTAGE IS 46 MINUTES
LONG.
THEY SAY THERE ARE LONG
STRETCHES WHERE MR. GREENE IS
NOT ON CAMERA.
THE BODY CAM WAS CUT OFF HALFWAY
THROUGH.
THE AP ITSELF IS CAUTIONING IT
CAN BE DIFFICULT TO PIECE
TOGETHER WHATS HAPPENING AT ALL
TIMES.
BUT IN SOME OF IT, ITS CLEAR.
LIKE IN THIS CLIP WHERE POLICE
FIRST APPROACHED RONALD GREENES
CAR, IT CERTAINLY APPEARS HE IS
NOT RESISTING AND IN FACT IS
PLEADING WITH THE TROOPERS.
>> LET ME SEE YOUR -- LET ME SEE
YOUR [ MUTED ] HANDS.
COME HERE, MOTHER [ MUTED ].
>> OKAY, OKAY.
OH, JESUS.
[ SCREAMING ]
>> HIT HIM HARD!
>> IM SCARED, IM SCARED. BROTHER, IM SCARED.
BROTHER, IM SCARED.
IM YOUR BROTHER, IM SCARED.
>> IT SAYS AT THE END THERE,
OFFICER, IM SCARED, IM YOUR
BROTHER, IM SCARED.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PORTION OF
THE BODY CAM VIDEO AFTER THE
TROOPERS GET MR. GREENE OUT OF
THE CAR AND YOULL SEE MR.
GREENE ON THE GROUND HERE,
APPEARING PRETTY EMOTIONMOTIONLE
WHILE THE OFFICER TASERS HIM
AGAIN.
MR. GREENE IS CLEARLY BLOODIED
AT THIS POINT.
PART OF THE REASON WE CONFIRM
THAT IS BECAUSE THE OFFICERS ARE
COMMENTING ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF
HIS BLOOD THEYVE GOT ON THEM AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE
AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE
WIPING IT OFF THEMSELVES.
>> GET ON THE GROUND! >> TASER, TASER, TASER!
>> TASER, TASER, TASER!
[ SCREAMING ]
>> PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR
BACK.
>> WHOA, [ MUTED ] DAMN IT, GET
UP HERE.
>> BLOOD ALL OVER.
HOPE THIS GUY AINT GOT AIDS.
[ SCREAMING ]
>> THE AP TONIGHT HAS POSTED ONE
OTHER PORTION OF THE VIDEO.
THIS PORTION DOESNT HAVE SOUND.
WE BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED THERE
IS THE TROOPER TURNED OFF THE
MICROPHONE ON HIS BODY CAM.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE RONALD
GREENE HANDCUFFED ON THE GROUND.
THE AP REPORTS THAT LATER, AFTER
A SEVERAL-MINUTE STRETCH IN
WHICH RONALD GREENE IS NOT SEEN
ON CAMERA, HE APPEARS AGAIN,
LIMP, UNRESPONSIVE, BLEEDING
FROM HIS HEAD, BLEEDING FROM HIS
FACE.
HES THEN LOADED ONTO AN
AMBULANCE GURNEY.
HIS ARM IS CUFFED TO THE BED
RAIL.
BUT HERE WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS AN
OFFICER PUTTING LEG SHACKLES ON
HIM.
IM NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU THIS
PART BUT WHAT YOU CAN SEE IN
PART OF THIS VIDEO IS THE
OFFICER DRAGGING MR. GREENE BY
HIS SHACKLES, FACE DOWN.
HIS LEGS ARE BEHIND HIS BACK,
HES SHACKLED AND HES FACE DOWN
AND LIMP AND THEYRE DRAGGING
HIM FACE DOWN ACROSS THE GROUND.
NOW, THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE
TONIGHT WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE
CONTENT OF THESE VIDEOS EXCEPT
TO SAY THAT THE RELEASE OF THE
VIDEO WAS NOT AUTHORIZED.
YEAH, TELL US ABOUT IT.
THEY SAID, THE RELEASE OF THESE
VIDEOS, QUOTE, UNDERMINES THE
INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS.
YES, HOW IS THAT INVESTIGATIVE
PROCESS GOING?
THE OFFICER WHO DRAGGED RONALD
GREEN ON HIS FACE BY HIS LEG
SHACKLES, HE WAS SUSPENDED FROM
DUTY FOR 50 HOURS FOR THAT
OFFENSE.
50 HOURS.
ANOTHER OF THE TROOPERS IS NOW
ON UNPAID LEAVE.
BUT NOT FOR RONALD FWROOENGREENE
DEATH.
HE AND SEVERAL OTHER TROOPERS
WERE ARRESTED A FEW MONTHS AGO
FOR BEATING UP OTHER BLACK MEN
IN THEIR CUSTODY.
THEY WERE ALSO DISCOVERED TO BE
BRAGGING TO EACH OTHER OVER TEXT
MESSAGES ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THEY
HAVE INFLICTED ON BLACK MEN THEY
HAVE ARRESTED.
BUT THERES ALSO THE FEDERAL