Beating victim cleared as Louisiana trooper awaits trial

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Charges have been dropped against a Black north Louisiana man whose severe beating before he was arrested in 2019 led to criminal charges and lawsuits against a state trooper. A traffic violation and charges of resisting an officer had been hanging over Aaron Bowman of Monroe for two years before the Louisiana Attorney General’s office moved to dismiss. Court documents show the office on Monday cited “insufficient evidence to support prosecution” and “credibility issues” with the officers who arrested him. Former trooper Jacob Brown has pleaded not guilty ahead of his federal criminal trial next March in connection with the beating of Bowman.