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A Louisiana prosecutor has moved to have a grand jury hear the case of Ronald Greene, a 49-year-old Black man who died after being violently arrested by state troopers over three years ago.
According to CNN, Union Parish District Attorney John Belton will present evidence in the incident involving Greene's 2019 encounter with Louisiana State Police to a grand jury beginning November 10.
In May 2019, Greene died after engaging officers and resisting arrest, police said. However, the victim's family said that troopers initially told them Greene died in a car crash following a police chase.
Greene's family has filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against state troopers connected to the incident and their superiors, seeking damages to cover all of the medical and funeral costs.
State troopers have said that Greene's death “was caused by crash-related blunt force chest trauma that resulted in a fractured sternum and ruptured aorta," claiming that they used force “for their own personal safety and for the safety of the public,” per court documents obtained by CNN. Yet, video of the incident shows officers kicking, punching, and using a Taser on Greene before he died in police custody.
At Belton's request, the U.S. attorney's office conducted an independent investigation into Greene's death, which took nearly two and a half years to complete.
“They completed the investigation this summer, and I received their files this summer,” Belton said.
“It’s taken me this long to review it and prepare,” he added. “I can’t guarantee an indictment. I can only say I will present all evidence to the grand jury,” he added.
It is not yet known who Belton will seek indictments for, per CNN. Thus far, no troopers have been charged in relation to Greene's death.
The US Department of Justice is also conducting its own investigation into the circumstances of Greene's death.
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