"He's gonna have nightmares": LA Troopers Bragged After Beating Black Man

Courtesy of the Louisiana State Police Facebook Account.

Four Louisiana State Police Troopers joked in a group text after beating 29-year-old Antonio Harris, according to new court filings. According to the documents, an internal investigation found Louisiana State Police (LSP) Troopers Jacob Brown, Randall Dickerson, George Harper, and Dakota DeMoss beat 29-year-old Antonio Harris even though he had surrendered.

According to the LSP, Brown had initially pulled Harris over on Interstate 20 in Richland Parish for a minor traffic violation. At some point during the stop, Harris reentered his vehicle and fled the scene, leading LSP troopers on a 29-mile chase at speeds up to 150 mph. The chase ended when deputy sheriffs deployed a “tire deflation device,” causing Harris to drive into a ditch.

At that point, Harris “immediately surrendered,” according to the documents, and “laid face down on the ground and extended his arms away from his body and his legs spread apart.” In spite of this, trooper Dakota DeMoss, “delivered a knee strike” to Harris and slapped him in the face before switching off his body camera. Another trooper, George Harper, punched Harris in the head several times with his flashlight, while Brown pulled the man’s hair.

Court documents originally published by Sound Off Louisiana

Later, the four joked about the incident in text messages, saying:

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Brown: “How was his attitude at the jail?”
Harper: “Complete silence”
Brown: “Lmao”
DeMoss: “lol he was still digesting that ass whoopin”
Brown: “its gonna take him a couple days…”
Brown: “he gonna be sore tomorrow for sure”
Brown: “BET he wont run from a full grown bear again”
DeMoss: “Bet he don’t even cross into LA anymore”
Harper: “GRIZZLY. Nah he gonna spread the word that’s for damn sure”
Brown: “lmao”
DeMoss: “he’s gonna have nightmares for a long time”
Brown: “lmao… warms my heart knowing we could educate that young man”
DeMoss: “lolol”

At least two of the troopers – Jacob Brown and Dakota DeMoss – were also involved in the fatal arrest of Black motorist Ronald Greene. That case remains the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. In addition, Brown is currently facing charges in two other excessive-force cases.

On Thursday, March 11, 2021, attorney Michael DuBos argued before the Louisiana State Police Commission (LSPC) that investigations into DeMoss, Dickerson, and Harper which lead to their arrests should be stopped on the grounds that LSP Col. Lamar Davis is abusing his authority. According to DuBos, the criminal investigation should not have been initiated prior to an administrative investigation. DuBos was successful in obtaining a court-ordered Temporary Restraining Order to stop the investigations on the troopers until March 18.