Mona Hardin was originally told by police that her son, Ronald Greene, was killed in a car crash. She later learned the truth as body-cam footage revealed Louisiana state troopers violently beating him. Why the deception?
Hardin is concerned about the lack of accountability from the justice system. But this is a system that is conditioned to protect itself, not the people it supposedly serves. Authorities felt Hardin didn’t deserve the truth, and with a lengthy legal process they are proving they don’t believe she deserves justice either.
But there is no statute of limitations under federal law for civil rights charges, specifically because Greene’s case resulted in his death. And in late 2022, five officers involved were indicted but today only two of them still have charges. An unexpected death among the officers has contributed to delaying the process.
Chris Hollingsworth, who was seen on video beating Greene with a flashlight and bragging to his fellow officers, died in a vehicle crash hours after he was informed he would be fired for his actions.
Mothers like Mona Hardin deserve more than a system that robs parents of their children. While she continues to fight for Ronald, the least we can do is fight for a society free from this normalized state violence.