The former white Louisiana state police troopers who were recorded beating a Black driver in 2020 following a high-speed chase and who later wrote a series of text messages bragging about the violent arrests will no longer face charges.
The state’s prosecutors have dropped the charges against Dakota DeMoss and Jacob Brown, with plans to drop charges against George “Kam” Harper, who were involved in the brutal arrest of Antonio Harris and were seen on body camera footage beating him and dragging him by his braids, The Associated Press reported.
Harris said he feared for his life during the physical altercation, during which he was left bloodied and battered, Atlanta Black Star previously reported.
Some of the texts reportedly exchanged among the former state police troopers – two of whom were fired and one of whom resigned – included, “He gonna be sore tomorrow for sure. Bet he won’t run from a full grown bear again,” from Brown, and “Bet he don’t even cross into LA anymore,” from DeMoss, who earlier in the 14 group texts had jeered that Harris was “still digesting that ass whoopin.”
Atlanta Black Star has contacted District Attorney Penny Douciere for a comment.
Douciere, whose jurisdiction is Louisiana’s Fifth Judicial District, had initially vowed to take down the former troopers, who had at one point tried to hide the fact that bodycam footage of the incident existed and produced false reports about the incident, to trial.
However, the AP reports that Douciere dismissed misdemeanor charges against Brown in November and against DeMoss weeks after he was acquitted after beating another Black driver with a flashlight 18 times.
In an interview with the AP, Douciere provided no explanation for the dropped charges but said she also planned to dismiss charges against Harper.
Harris’ attorney, Michael T. Sterling, told the AP he felt the system is rigged against people like his client.
“The record was clear that these officers senselessly and ruthlessly beat Antonio Harris and lied about it in reports. It’s hard to understand what’s going on here,” Sterling said, according to the AP.
The incident began after Harris was pulled over by Brown for a minor traffic violation on an interstate in Richland Parish, Louisiana.
Harris got back into his car and drove off, and a chase lasting 29 miles and reaching speeds of 150 mph ensued, Atlanta Black Star previously reported.
After troopers used a tire deflation device to stop Harris’ vehicle, he surrendered immediately, but the officers proceeded to use force during the arrest.
Harris “laid face down on the ground and extended his arms away from his body and his legs spread apart,” according to court records, and was approached by DeMoss, who delivered a “knee strike” and slapped Harris before turning his body camera off, Atlanta Black Star reported previously.
An investigation by the Louisiana State Police found that Harris did not resist arrest at any point during the incident.
Harris’ arrest was one of many that prompted the United States Justice Department to launch an investigation in 2022 into the state police’s use of force and whether it engaged in “racially discriminatory policing,” marking the first investigation of a state police agency in 20 years, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana.
