Police officials in Louisiana blocked the arrest of an officer who was involved in the controversial arrest and death of Ronald Greene in 2019, records obtained by USA Today Network show.
The records indicate that former Louisiana State Police (LSP) Superintendent Col. Kevin Reeves and other department leaders stopped LSP Investigator Albert Paxton from arresting former Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth, who later died in a car crash, for turning off his camera during the violent arrest of Greene near the town of Monroe, The Daily Advertiser reported this week.
Greene was arrested and died after a high-speed chase with officers. Although the department originally claimed Greene died due to a vehicle crash, an autopsy showed his cause of death was a combination of cocaine, injuries from the crash and wounds he obtained during the arrest.
Activists have called for LSP troopers to be charged after officers were seen in video footage beating Greene during the arrest.
Paxton reportedly said in his notes after a first investigation that Hollingsworth should have been charged with obstruction for turning off his body camera, as well as aggravated assault.
However, a meeting with department leadership that “became very heated” reportedly stymied the effort.
“We were told there was no obstruction and we needed to wait on the autopsy. We didn’t know where [Greene’s] left hand was. Bad case law, he was turning off his camera to hide bad driving, call his girlfriend, he was the second car in the pursuit, ‘what is evidence and who decides?'” Paxton wrote in his notes.
“We were also told if we arrest Hollingsworth for turning off his camera then we [the Bureau of Investigations] would have issues with patrol,” he added.
Hollingsworth died in a car crash in 2020 before he could have potentially been fired for his role in the arrest.
Capt. Nick Manale told The Daily Advertiser that the LSP has been fully cooperating with investigators in the matter.
“The investigation into the death of Ronald Greene remains under review by federal and state authorities. LSP continues to offer our full cooperation with the investigation and fully intends to release all available documents and investigative files at the appropriate time,” Manale said.
“All official investigative notes and reports were included in the case file delivered to investigating agencies,” he added.
The Hill has reached out to the LSP for comment.
Greene’s case received a surge in attention last year amid nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.