LSP Image Green Case Tarnished

By now, as more details emerge from the case surrounding the death of local resident Ronald Greene, it is becoming painfully clear that the Louisiana State Police Law Enforcement Agency, now has a serious image problem. And it didn’t have to this way. Ever since details began to surface of how Greene died at the hands of LSP Troopers almost three years ago, it has been one thing after another that has led many to believe that Ronald Greene was murdered. One may believed that after videos of Greene being beaten repeatedly and dragged handcuffed inflicting more pain on his tortured body, it is amazing and sad that until this day, no trooper has been arrested for their actions. The big question has to be-why? It is more than one question that now head of LSP, Col. Lamar Davis has not answered, nor did his predecessor, Kevin Reeves bothered to answer or even address before he retired. The first question has to be why did LSP trooper feel the need to attack an unarmed Black man who was surrendering to them? The second question has to be, why in light of new detail and expanding investigations, both state and federal, why did LSP’s second in command, feel a need to “swipe” his cell phone clean. Lt. Col. Doug Cain is now under an internal affairs investigation for his actions, though he denied that what he did had nothing to do with the Greene controversy. Cain, just as Reeves had testified before a state legislative panel looking into the circumstances of Greene’s death and coverup allegations, said that no coverup existed. When the former head of LSP retires, some has said unexpectedly at that particular time, and now the number two man is alleged to have swiped his phone clean, certainly does not make the agency look good. It never looks good when those at the very top, does things that can only arouse suspicion on controversial cases where the integrity of the organization is questioned. That is in addition as to how long it is taking LSP to “investigate” the Greene case, as if there is more pertinent information that is coming forward to exonerate the agency. Until the answers as to why Greene was beaten in the first place and the need for the number two man to swipe his phone clean, what we are now hearing LSP, does not pass the smell test.

Another question that needs to be answered is why did Col. Davis wait until just recently to place Cain on administrative leave, after “repeated frustration” from the legislative body investigating the Green controversy. Legislators were frustrated because they wanted to know why Cain was still on the job during the internal affairs investigation. One legislator, Denise Marcelle (D-Baton Rouge), perhaps summed it up perfectly over Davis’ action (or inaction) concerning Cain, that it was like “the fox guarding the hen house”. Davis, in a press release said, “The decision to place him (Cain) on leave was made in the interest of the department to eliminate any questions to the integrity of the (internal affairs) investigation. I am confident the investigation will be conducted in a fair and unbiased manner leaving no concerns of its findings”. Words that the family of Ronald Greene may have found comforting if there were any arrests/convictions and sentencing of LSP troopers involved in Greene’s death. But it appears that Davis is more concerned about the image of LSP, when he, himself has done something that calls into suspect an act that some may see as a coverup. It’s not good when the no. 1 and 2 man at the state’s police agency are both allegedly seen as “trying to hide” something. LSP’s image may get another black eye, if 3rd District DA John Belton goes through with his investigation into LSP trooper actions on the night that Greene died. Belton has said that now with the green light from the feds, he will convene a grand jury to “seek possible indictments” against those officers who were present on the night of Greene’s death. It didn’t have to come to this. A man should still be alive. A mother shouldn’t have to continue to grieve. And a police agency that has in a sense, created the image that surrounds it, wouldn’t have to “ talk about integrity”, if it had only shown that when it knew the truth of what really happened to Ronald Greene. We’ve seen what the symbol of justice looks like, but the image of justice by those who administer it, is one that only they can change.