Black Louisiana Trooper Accuses Bosses Of Retaliation For Speaking Out About Motorist’s Beating Death
Carl Cavalier says his pending termination by the Louisiana State Police Department is retaliation for his criticism of how his department handled a deadly 2019 traffic stop.
According to NBC News, Cavalier, 33, said on Friday (Oct. 15) that he’ll fight for his state trooper position. Cavalier has been with the state’s police department since 2014. He was quoted by a local TV outlet that his department was covering up the death of 49-year-old Ronald Greene.
He’s been out on paid leave since August. He shared a letter from Oct. 8 that warned him of his potential firing within 45 days. It was signed and dated by Louisiana State Police Superintendent Lamar A. Davis.
Furthermore, the letter stated violations for public statements, department loyalty, seeking publicity, misconduct by an officer, and the spreading of information.
RELATED: Police Told Ronald Greene’s Family He Died In Wreck, But Video Shows Officers Kicking, Tasing Him
“I swore and took an oath to do exactly what I’m doing,” Cavalier said. “I’m going to pursue my job with everything in me. If the justice system works like it’s supposed to, if the appeals process works how it’s supposed to, I believe I’ll have my job back.”
Cavalier told WWBRZ in June that “we still have murderers, in my eyes, on the job. Guys who received a slap on the wrist for their roles in the Ronald Greene incident are unpunished… patrolling the streets and left on the job.”
Greene, 49, was involved in a high-speed chase on May 10, 2019. The chase led to an arrest by state troopers. A year later, the footage was released to the Associated Press, showing troopers stunning, punching, and dragging Greene; he was left without medical attention for nearly nine minutes. Troopers initially told the Greene’s family that he died on impact after crashing into a tree.
President of the NAACP Baton Rouge sector, Eugene Collins said the following: “He tried to provide transparency that he felt the agency wasn’t giving. This guy stood up for troopers and what’s right. This sends us steps back.”
“This is not the oath that I swore to uphold, to watch my colleagues beat Black men,” Cavalier said.
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