A Black state trooper in Louisiana who accused colleagues of murder and an alleged internal coverup says he will be fired
Carl Cavalier gave an interview in June to CNN affiliate WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge. During this interview, he describes what he believes was an internal coverup to protect the troopers involved in Greene’s death.
On May 10, 2019, Greene died in the wake of a police chase with Louisiana State Police (LSP) near Monroe, Louisiana. Greene’s family said they were told by LSP that Greene died in a car crash, but body camera and dash camera video released to the public two years later tell a different story of what happened.
Two troopers involved in the incident were reprimanded for their actions that night, including for not following procedures for body-worn cameras. A third was to be terminated for violations regarding body-worn camera and car camera systems, use of force, performance, lawful orders and for conduct unbecoming an officer. That trooper died in a car crash before he could be fired, according to LSP Superintendent Col. Lamar Davis.
“We still have murderers, in my eyes, on the job,” he said.
Since then, Cavalier has made several media appearances in which he criticized the department’s handling of the case. CNN has reached out to Louisiana State Police for comment.
“Trooper Cavalier received the decision of the appointing authority to move forward with termination based on an administrative investigation which revealed he violated several departmental policies,” Louisiana State Police spokeswoman Melissa Matey said Thursday in an emailed statement to the Washington Post. “It should be noted that our disciplinary administrative process is not finalized and Cavalier remains an employee at this time.”
Cavalier told CNN he received a termination letter last week from State Police Superintendent Lamar Davis. The letter, which he shared with CNN, says an investigation found Cavalier violated department policies and procedures.
The internal investigation, according to the letter, claims that Cavalier violated the department’s policy on “Public Statement,” “Lawful Orders,” “Loyalty to the Department,” “Dissemination of Information,” “Seeking Publicity” and “Conduct Unbecoming an Officer.”
Cavalier, who is Black, filed a lawsuit in September against LSP, where he alleges his complaints went ignored and several of his superiors racially discriminated against him for years.
