Louisville Police detective charged with perjury about surveillance video of 2018 theft

Published 6:40 am Friday, January 22, 2021

A Louisville police detective has been indicted on two counts of perjury for testimony he gave in a 2018 theft case.

A grand jury returned the indictments against Louisville Metro Police Det. John David Green on Thursday. Jefferson County prosecutors said Green knowingly gave false testimony in two court hearings.

Green investigated a theft case at a Louisville McDonald’s restaurant in August 2018 and charged an employee with theft. Green said in testimony that he watched hours of surveillance tape which showed the theft, according to a release from the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney. But when defense attorneys examined the tape, it became obvious a different employee had committed the theft, the Commonwealth’s Attorney said.

“While Green believed he had charged the correct person, it is alleged that Green charged the employee without actually having watched the store surveillance video,” prosecutors said in the release.

Prosecutors said if convicted of the charges, Green could be sentenced to up to ten years in prison.