Oris Buckner

Oris Benny Buckner III (July 16, 1951 – June 1, 2022) was an American police detective. He revealed the extensive culture of racism and violence in the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). His testimony was the basis for a number of civil suits against 55 defendants, which resulted in a $2.8 million settlement by the city of New Orleans in 1986. He was the brother of actress Carol Sutton.

Detective Oris Buckner, the only Black homicide detective in the department, was invited to participate in the beatings. Buckner briefly took part by slapping Davis across the face once. After trying to stop other officers from continuing, Buckner was removed from the interrogation. The officers then brought Davis and Brownlee to a bridge, where they were further coerced into identifying James Billy Jr. and Reginald Miles as the people who shot officer Neupert. Due to the media attention and resignation of police superintendent James Parsons, the trial was moved to Dallas. In March 1983, three of the seven officers were found guilty, John E. McKenzie, Dale Bonura, and Stephen Farrar.

The killing of Gregory Neupert was never solved, and nobody was ever charged in the deaths in Reginald Miles, James Billy Jr., Sherry Singleton, or Raymond Ferdinand.