Louisiana State Police detectives met with Gov. Edwards' top attorney about Ronald Greene case

The two Louisiana State Police detectives in charge of the Ronald Greene investigation met with Gov. John Bel Edwards' top attorney this week in the Capitol to discuss the case.

Greene, who was Black, died following a violent interaction with State Police while under arrest in 2019 in Union Parish near Monroe after a high speed chase and crash.

Edwards' executive counsel Matthew Block met with State Police Det. Albert Paxton and Det. Scott Brown on Wednesday at Democratic Monroe Sen. Katrina Jackson's request, a spokesperson with the governor confirmed to USA Today Network while declining to expand on details of the meeting.

Jackson, who has been a critic of the agency's handling of the case and is a member of the Senate Select Committee on State Police Oversight, also attended the meeting with Legislative Black Caucus Chair Vincent Pierre's support.

"We thought it was imperative in seeking justice for Ronald Greene and his family that these two troopers who told the truth and have put their jobs in jeopardy by doing so speak to someone in the governor's office," Jackson told USA Today Network.

"Detectives Paxton and Brown are key players in the family receiving justice and in identifying the truth about what happened and who was involved in the coverup," she said.

It was the first time someone from the governor's executive team spoke directly to Paxton or Brown about their investigation.

Louisiana governor: Gov. John Bel Edwards denies any connection with coverup of Ronald Greene's death

Controversy over Greene's case, which is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department, escalated during the past week when questions arose about whether Edwards knew about a State Police coverup of the events.

On Tuesday Edwards held a press conference in which he said any implication that he participated or directed a coverup was "categorically false."

"I've never done anything to impede an investigation or prevent justice from being served," Edwards said during the press conference. "The implication that I knew more and tried to cover it up is simply and categorically false.

"It didn't happen," Edwards said. Any such allegations are "utterly false and baseless."

Ronald Green case: Ronald Greene's mom, Black lawmakers accuse State Police coverup of reaching top brass

Greene's cause of death was first covered up by State Police troopers on the scene who said Greene died from injuries suffered in a car accident during their pursuit of him before the severity of Greene's beating and investigators' records became public.

Edwards addressed the issue Tuesday after the Associated Press reported that the governor was made aware of an unidentified suspect's death in an altercation with State Police hours after the incident.

Edwards insisted the text was standard operating procedure and that it would be months before he knew the circumstances surrounding Greene's death could have been criminal.

In records obtained by the USA Today Network last summer, Paxton wrote that he was blocked from charging an officer who beat Greene during the May 2019 arrest by the department's leadership, including former Superintendent Kevin Reeves, who retired amid the growing controversy.

Paxton also testified before the Senate oversight committee late last year that superiors ignored his recommendations from an investigation without naming a specific case.

No troopers have been charged with a crime in Greene’s death. The State Police suspended one officer involved and fired another. A third trooper died in a single-vehicle car crash hours after he learned he would also be terminated for his role.

Paxton told members of the oversight committee he was issued a letter of reprimand for unauthorized dissemination of information for sending emails of reports to his wife for her to proofread, which Paxton said he had been doing for 14 years with approval from his supervisor.

Paxton said he told his supervisor: "I won’t participate in a coverup, I won’t hide evidence and I won’t lie."

In January Paxton filed for early retirement. His last official day is Feb. 18.

Greg Hilburn covers Louisiana politics for the USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Ronald Greene death: Louisiana detectives with Gov. Edwards' attorney