Originally published at: Evidence grows of cover-up in killing of Ronald Greene by Louisiana State Police | Boing Boing
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Back on topic 
… yet more evidence that many police departments can’t be trusted to do their jobs. It’s a brutal reminder on the anniversary George Floyd’s death of the depth of corruption in law enforcement and the level of white supremacy that is still a constituent part of American society and culture. As much as some people would like to change the subject to other things that they deem more important than systemic racism, like communication styles, we need to keep talking about the root causes of cover ups and police violence generally aimed at POC in our country.
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Of the officers that murdered Greene, one has been charged in 2 more recent assaults against Black drivers and the LSP said that he will be fired, one was suspended 50 hours for another assault on a Black driver, one died in a single vehicle collision, and the rest have continued without any change for the past 2 years.
There are ongoing federal and state investigations, and this week the new LSP superintdent made some encouraging comments that sound like there might be accountability. The police union is of course pushing back, saying that there is only a 14 day window after police commit a crime when an investigation can start and since these investigation began after that the charges don’t count.
Will see, but I’m a little more hopeful for accountability than a few months ago
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As much as some people would like to change the subject to other things that they deem more important than systemic racism, like communication styles
Instead of trying to fix the police, let’s be tone police!
/s obvs
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Policing’s not the problem, animated gifs are! /s
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I’m confused.
So, they filed a clearly false report. It wasn’t a case of not remembering some details correctly - they just plain LIED.
If I file a false police report, that’s a crime. The legal system will rightfully attempt to do something punitive to me.
But if cops knowingly file a false report…? In rare instances, a lost job. In most instances, some internal slap on the wrist, if that. But shouldn’t there be criminal charges for that? IS it actually a crime?
I’m genuinely asking, if there are any law-talkin’ folk out there who’d like to answer.
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Perhaps it’s covered by “qualified immunity.”
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Yes. If you haven’t gotten it by now, that the cops are almost always held to a very different standard for criminal conduct, they are held to a different standard. That’s how they keep getting away with these violent encounters with POC in America (our fellow citizens and human beings). I don’t know how much evidence people need to confirm that, but there is a mountain ranges worth at this point. The police can act above the law, with impunity, and with the very rare exception get away with a slap on the wrist or being fired and then moving somewhere else and getting a job doing the same damn thing.
But those of us with melanin privilege need to wake up to the facts on the ground. Because we should not NEED the fact that this can and sometimes is turned on us to support effective action. We should support effective action because it’s the right thing to do.
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“During the time that the officer was writing his report, he was fearing for his life.”
“…because he knew he might go to jail for life?”
“Right, exactly. So he’s immune.”
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Yes there absolutely should be.
Accountability in the state police follows a chain of command. The station brass lied and covered up the murder originally. The LSP head office was run by former members of this station (the top 2 LSP officials both had sons at the station who were tangentially involved in the cover up, both fathers and one son have since quit to get out before charges come) and they helped sweep things under the rug.
That leaves the governor and the DoJ as the only people with authority over LSP. The governor apointed a new superintendent that will probably try and fail to bring charges. The DoJ will hopefully bring charges
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How many lawyers are drawing up appeals of their clients’ convictions based on the argument that if the lead officer was willing to lie to internal affairs and suppress his body camera footage in this case, how can his testimony in their cases possibly be trusted? What did he lie about on the stand and what exculpatory evidence did he “forget” to give the defense?
Every case that Mister Clary had a hand in investigating needs to be reviewed, and the costs of those reviews need to come from the Louisiana State Police budget.
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The “good guys” aren’t supposed to be lying liars. 
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Every time we see one of these police atrocities, I am less surprised, but no less sickened.
I will stand with anyone who agrees, and could not give a fig what someone thinks about posting gifs if that person will stand with me.
We need all the help we can get.
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Are you implying that some or all of the cops in this case are a “bad guy with a gun”?
Thank you to whomever leaked the information. This is the good kind of rule-breaking.
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Absolutely. The first leak of audio files last October started the investigation, and since text messages between officers and body cam footage has been leaked. Someone in that station is actually doing their job and trying to hold people accountable. If it comes out who it is, I hope they’re celebrated as a hero
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I’ve said it twice on other threads so far and I’m going to say it again here - and add to it this time - seeing as this is yet again about bodycam footage.
It should be the law that if the police bodycam is not switched on and all footage submitted at the end of a shift, the cop is not paid. They should only be paid for the time they are recording. If they are not recording they are not cops and not able to claim qualified immunity.
Further, all submitted footage should be - in principle - a public record, open to be viewed by anyone subject to a formal request and a provided legitimate interest rationale. (I can see that some footage may be redacted to protect sensitive police operations or some members of the public they engage with.) If there is a dispute about releasing the footage it should b resolved by a judge, not a senior police manager or political overlord.
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I think some of us will. Others will target them for violence…
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