Ronald Greene’s family demands Gov. Edwards steps down, says Greene’s blood is on his hands

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The family of Ronald Greene took an angry, direct tone Thursday when addressing Gov. John Bel Edwards, demanding he resign and that criminal charges be pressed against all involved in what they allege is a cover-up.

This comes days after Edwards said the claims he played a part in covering up the death of Greene were “categorically false.”

According to text messages obtained through a public records request, the governor first found out about Greene’s death hours after it happened back in 2019. In the text he received after the death, Edwards was told Greene crashed his car during a police chase and that as troopers tried to take Greene into custody there was a struggle. He died shortly after.

RELATED: Gov. Edwards issues statement on La. House committee to investigate death of Ronald Greene

Judge Carolos Moore, the president of the National Bar Association said that text message alone showed the governor knew exactly what happened to Greene.

“He was complicit in the cover-up,” Moore said. “His attorney knew and coordinated the cover-up as well as other individuals at Louisiana State Police and they need to be held accountable.”

According to the family, they were contacted by Louisiana State Police shortly after Greene died. Greene’s sister, Alana Hardin said they were told he died in the crash.

“They told me Ronald Greene died from a car accident,” Hardin said. “He hit a tree and he went through the windshield and he died upon impact.”

LSP leaders have repeatedly said that was never told to family members and that investigators indicated Greene survived the impact and became unresponsive after the struggle with law enforcement.

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Edwards was asked about the death of Greene back in September on WRKF’s Ask the Governor.

“Obviously he didn’t die in the accident itself because he was still alive when the troopers were engaging with him,” Edwards said. “But what was the cause of death? I don’t know that that was falsely portrayed.”

Several weeks after his appearance on the radio show, the FBI rejected the crash narrative after it reexamined Greene’s autopsy. Instead, the FBI indicated Greened died from a physical struggle and from Troopers repeatedly stunning him and striking him in the head.

“They knew big brother over them would take care,” said Mona Hardin, Greene’s mother. “They wouldn’t have to finish, all they’d have to do is write a narrative and the top brass would come up behind and clean up their mess.”

Now the family is demanding the governor fess up and step down.

“It’s too late governor. Gov. Edwards it’s too late. The blood of Ronald Greene is stained on your hands as well,” said Dinelle Hardin, sister of Greene. “He’s not speaking out because he cares about our family, he’s only speaking out to save his face, his legacy. That’s the only reason why, because he’s been exposed.”

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