Governor kept mum amid conflicting accounts of deadly arrest

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JIM MUSTIAN and JAKE BLEIBERG

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat in a deep-red state, was immersed in a difficult reelection campaign when he received a text message from the head of the state police: Troopers had engaged in “a violent, lengthy struggle” with a Black motorist, ending with the man’s death.

Edwards was notified of the circumstances of Ronald Greene’s death within hours of his May 2019 arrest, according to text messages The Associated Press obtained through a public records request. Yet the governor kept quiet as police told a much different story to the victim’s family and in official reports: that Greene died from a crash following a high-speed chase.

For two years, Edwards remained publicly tight-lipped about the contradictory accounts and possible cover-up until the AP obtained and published long-withheld body-camera footage showing what really happened: white troopers jolting Greene with stun guns, punching him in the face and dragging him by his ankle shackles as he pleaded for mercy and wailed, “I’m your brother! I’m scared! I’m scared!”

The governor has rebuffed repeated interview requests and his spokesperson would not say what steps, if any, Edwards took in the immediate aftermath of Greene’s death. “The governor does not direct disciplinary or criminal investigations,” said spokesperson Christina Stephens, “nor would it be appropriate for him to do so.”



This image taken from video from Louisiana state trooper Lt. John Clary's body-worn camera shows trooper Kory York standing over Ronald Greene on his stomach on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La.


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/death-of-ronald-greene-louisiana-arrests-john-bel-edwards-baton-rouge-49d2da5cfdbf4b4185271330a6d79575

[atreides1]

1. Well

Isn't Edwards a centrist Democrat...like Manchin and Sinema?

With this under his belt...Edwards should be able to get Trumps endorsement, the next time he runs!!!

[JI7]

4. He is more right wing than Manchin

[myohmy2]

5. wow...

...unbelievable...

...and we wonder why we struggle as a Party...

...

[JI7]

6. That's the only way he could win in Louisiana

[azureblue]

7. and here come the smear merchants

Nope. And for sure, you aren't from here. Couyon. I note the knee jerk response to try to smear him because he is a democrat. LOL - if he was GOP, there would not be a word said. He is right - the onus (look it up) is on the police dept. So why are there so few howls about calling the LSP? It's their mess.

[Demovictory9]

2. K&R

[Celerity]

3. K & R

[FakeNoose]

8. Thank goodness that the AP has shed a light on this travesty

Justice for Ronald Greene! The police have been lying and covering up this murder for too long.
It's looking like a modern-day lynching, and the evidence is on video.



Edit to add link to AP news story: https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-arrests-monroe-eca021d8a54ec73598dd72b269826f7a