Governor Edwards calls LSP beating Ronald Greene ‘racist’ amid calls for resignation

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MONROE, La. (KNOE) – Governor John Bel Edwards calls the beating of Ronald Greene racist and wrong.

It comes after growing calls for transparency from his office. The governor denies obstructing the investigation.

Governor Edwards calls out the sight of Louisiana State Troopers dragging Ronald Greene and the sound of Greene’s cries to God amid constant excessive and unlawful apologies.

“I think we have to recognize racism when we see it,” Governor Edwards said.

Recent reports show the governor was notified of a death involving a violent struggle with state police following a pursuit by Ouachita State Police in Union Parish.

“Mr. Greene was freaked out, he was terrified. He was letting the officers know he was scared. He was calling them his brother,” Edwards said.

For years, the LSP said Greene died in an accident.

Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder told The Associated Press, as did the governor. On Tuesday, Governor Edwards responded to the growing call to give his own timeline of what he knew and when.

“Despite some recent comments from other people, I will tell you that I never said that Mr. Greene died in a car accident. I did not say it in public, I did not say it in private,” Edwards said.

Kevin Reeves was the Superintendent of LSP at the time. He texted the governor hours after Greene died. It says the soldiers were involved in a “violent and protracted struggle”. However, one wonders why the governor remained silent for two years while state police publicly said Greene died in an accident after a chase.

KNOE’s Jasmine Anderson asked a local civil rights activist why the story was never clarified.

“What does his silence tell you? “Silence sometimes has two directions. Silence says number one, that the person may know something but be afraid to make a quick decision or indication. Silence also gives us an opportunity to weigh the factors,” Monroe-Ouachita Parish NAACP President Ambrose Douzart responded.

Civil rights advocates say it’s a fight that should never have happened.

“They should recognize that you can’t run a situation like this out of the blue,” Douzart said.

And the governor says that should never happen again.

“There is an implicit bias in many, many people. And too often there is outright racism. And we need to do more to identify this early on and separate people from their badges when they are not worthy to wear one. When they are not engaged in serving and protecting the public,” Governor Edwards said.

The Speaker of the House said Monday he is considering legislative action against Edwards for what he calls “gross misconduct and the highest level of deception” in the governor’s response to the Greene case.

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