Louisiana Police Settle $4.85 Million Wrongful‑Death Suit with Ronald Greene’s Daughter

Context On May 10 2019, troopers stopped Ronald Greene, a 49‑year‑old Black motorist, for a traffic violation outside Monroe. Body‑camera footage shows Greene pleading, "I’m your brother! I’m scared!" while officers repeatedly shocked him with stun guns, punched him, and placed him in a chokehold. He died shortly after the encounter.

Initially, state police blamed his death on a crash during a high‑speed chase, but photos of his bruised face and a hospital report noting stun‑gun prongs in his back contradicted that story. A grand jury later indicted five officers; only two received misdemeanor battery convictions after pleading no contest. The fifth officer, Gage Hollingsworth, died in a single‑car crash in 2020 shortly after learning he would be fired.

Key Facts The $4.85 million settlement resolves Tayla Greene’s civil suit against Dakota DeMoss, Kory York, John Clary, Gage Hollingsworth and former deputy Chris Harpin. Mediation that concluded on Tuesday evening produced the agreement, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks. In the released video, Greene can be heard saying he was their brother and expressing fear.

The settlement does not include an admission of liability by the officers or their agencies. It is one of the larger civil payouts linked to a death that otherwise yielded only misdemeanor convictions. The amount reflects the severity of the alleged misconduct and the prolonged legal battle faced by Greene’s family.

What It Means The payout follows a Department of Justice civil rights investigation that found excessive force used by state troopers in Greene’s case and in at least a dozen similar incidents. That investigation remains active, and any further findings could lead to additional legal or policy changes.

Neither Governor Jeff Landry’s office nor Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office has commented on the settlement, leaving the political response uncertain. Local advocacy groups have renewed calls for statewide reforms to use‑of‑force training and greater oversight of body‑camera footage.

The agreement may influence ongoing negotiations in other civil suits against Louisiana law enforcement, potentially setting a benchmark for compensation levels. It also adds pressure on the state legislature to consider bills that would mandate earlier release of police videos and restrict stun‑gun use in non‑violent stops.

What to watch next Observers will monitor whether the Department of Justice pursues further civil rights actions, and whether state lawmakers advance legislation aimed at increasing transparency and limiting stun‑gun deployment during traffic stops.