Louisiana state troopers charged in beating of Black man

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

By JIM MUSTIAN and JAKE BLEIBERG
4 minutes ago

WINNSBORO, La. (AP) — State prosecutors have charged three Louisiana State Police troopers accused of beating a Black motorist, hoisting him to his feet by his hair braids and bragging in text messages that the “whoopin’” would give him “nightmares for a long time.”

The misdemeanor simple battery charges in the 2020 arrest of Antonio Harris come amid mounting scrutiny of the state’s premier law enforcement agency over allegations of excessive force — particularly against Black people — and an institutional instinct to cover it up.

Jacob Brown, Dakota DeMoss and George “Kam” Harper, who are white, were seen on body-camera video piling onto Harris following a high-speed chase that ended next to a cornfield in rural Franklin Parish, kneeing, slapping and punching him even though he had surrendered face down with his arms and legs splayed.

The troopers’ attorneys declined to comment Thursday. A state police spokesperson did not immediately comment on the charges.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/death-of-ronald-greene-louisiana-arrests-dea5c02e80db1cb450ade1baa6708299

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Former Louisiana State Police Troopers Dakota DeMoss (left) and George Harper (right).



Trooper Jacob Brown

[Dustlawyer]

1. Finally a prosecutor that will charge police for their crimes!

[Lasher]

2. These are bad people.

Plain and simple.

[bluestarone]

3. Misdemeanor simple battery???

WTF??

[58Sunliner]

4. Real racist murdering scum.

"Brown, Harper and DeMoss, who were part of a notoriously violent division of troopers patrolling the northeastern part of the state, were arrested in the case last year. DeMoss and Harper were fired and Brown, who in October pleaded not guilty in a separate federal case accusing him of pummeling another Black motorist 18 times with a flashlight, resigned.

DeMoss has also come under investigation for his role in Greene’s death, which authorities initially blamed on a car crash at the end of a chase before the AP last year published troopers’ long-withheld body-camera video showing a violent arrest." Green was another black motorist pulled over.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

5. As ex-police officers. they will be disliked in jail.

Let these three be the ones having bad dreams.

[Marthe48]

6. Where are the troopers taught to be like this?

Why are they allowed to train as officers? It seems like some states and other entities want bad apples in the ranks, regardless of consequences, regardless of effect on reputations.

Law enforcement that hires people like this are the bad guys.

[Mawspam2]

7. Just write em up for a parking ticket, why doncha?

[The Jungle 1]

8. Misdemeanor simple battery charges????

Alright that is a step forward but a mighty fucking small step.
What would they do to three men if they beat a cop like that????

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Per the OP article (not included in the excerpt)

they were originally going to go with a higher charge and then dropped it down -

State police had arrested the troopers in February 2021 on felony charges of malfeasance in office, but local prosecutors elected not to bring that count last week when filing a bill of information in Franklin Parish. Misdemeanor simple battery in Louisiana carries up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Even with the body cameras

to "prove" their behavior, they still get off.

The "incident" happened in May 2020 and they didn't get around to finishing an "investigation" and arresting the perps until almost a year later in February 2021, and now here we are yet another year later in May 2022, after they reduced the charges (from OP link) -

State police had arrested the troopers in February 2021 on felony charges of malfeasance in office, but local prosecutors elected not to bring that count last week when filing a bill of information in Franklin Parish. Misdemeanor simple battery in Louisiana carries up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

And some people think that "criminal justice reform" shouldn't be a big priority?

[Grins]

11. It took TWO YEARS to charge them?

And it’s a misdemeanor?

Amerika!