UNION PARISH - A state trooper charged with negligent homicide in the death of Ronald Greene, an unarmed Black man who died in police custody in 2019, will plead not guilty when he appears in court next month, according to his attorney. 

A lawyer representing Trooper Kory York says the officer will appear in court Feb. 22 in Union Parish. Attorney J. Michael Small said in a statement that York will plead not guilty to each count against him: one charge for negligent homicide and 10 counts of malfeasance. 

"My intention is for my client to plead not guilty to all charges, and I'm very confident he will be found not guilty on all charges before we get this before a jury in Union Parish," Small said.

Four other law enforcement officers are facing charges in Greene's death, a grand jury decided last month. York is the only one facing negligent homicide.

The indictments against those officers came last month, after what appeared to be years of attempts at Louisiana State Police to cover up what happened the night of Greene's death. A grand jury convened in November — more than three years after Greene's death — after years of relentless reporting from the WBRZ Investigative Unit.

"We were disappointed, but will be prepared to meet it head on when the case goes before a jury in north Louisiana," Small said.

Amid WBRZ's stories and after the leak of police video showing Greene being beaten and tased at the hands of state troopers, an investigative committee made up of lawmakers spent months last year questioning current and past members of LSP about Greene's death and the cover-up.