A Kentucky state trooper, Myron Jackson, finds himself at the center of controversy after being sued twice in less than a month for alleged abuses of authority, including arresting people exercising rights such as recording police or remaining silent.
In the most recent incident, Jackson pulled over Nicholas Ngeh, a pizza delivery driver, on May 1, 2024 for missing a turn signal entering a Papa John’s parking lot in Frankfort. When Ngeh opted not to answer extraneous questions, Jackson labeled his demeanor as having “an attitude” and escalated the encounter dramatically, physically removing Ngeh from his car before it was even put in park.
Jackson’s own words reveal his awareness of his reckless move, stating, “I knew it wasn’t in park but I really didn’t think it through.” The car idled forward without a driver, creating a hazard until Jackson rushed to brake it himself.
Ngeh was then arrested and charged with obstructing governmental operations—a charge that would be dismissed weeks later, on July 18, 2024. The federal lawsuit, filed July 17 by Johnson Branco & Brennan, accuses Jackson of malicious prosecution and violations of the First and Fourth Amendments. “Trooper Jackson knew that the arrest…lacked probable cause,” the claim reads, yet never informed prosecutors of this fact.
The suit also describes Jackson’s handling of “concerns of intoxication,” despite never conducting a field sobriety or breath test. According to filings, Jackson used a fabricated suspicion as a pretext for forcing Ngeh out of his car, then jailed him overnight.
Upon release, Ngeh was left to walk miles on foot to recover his vehicle. This episode prompted the law firm to challenge Jackson’s conduct, highlighting what they argue is a clear and repeated disregard for constitutional rights and responsible policing.
The previous lawsuit, filed June 25, names both Trooper Jackson and Trooper Jason Briscoe in an incident involving Christen Johnson. On July 31, 2024, Johnson began recording from her front porch after her mother was stopped by Jackson for allegedly expired registration, though the tag was still valid.
State Trooper Myron Jackson joined us on Friday for a visit! We are so proud of him and all that he has accomplished! #Classof2019 pic.twitter.com/KWQuom0WHt
— East Jessamine High (@EastJessamineHi) September 5, 2023
According to the lawsuit, Johnson was told, “Go inside of the house or I will take you from your kids and take you to jail,” after she began filming. Despite keeping her distance, Jackson handcuffed Johnson, dragging her across gravel which left her scraped and bruised. Johnson’s mother called 911, speaking to Sgt. Briscoe, who erroneously told her the arrest was lawful.
As the lawsuit recounts, Johnson was repeatedly told to go inside, only to be forcibly restrained when she asserted her right to record a public police encounter. “Because of Christen’s assertion of her Constitutional rights, Trooper Jackson grabbed Ms. Johnson’s wrists, forced her hands behind her back, and placed her in handcuffs,” the complaint states.
Kentucky State Trooper Has A Documented History of Abuse That Has Been Ignored Until Now.
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Jackson allegedly failed to secure Johnson in the cruiser, disregarded her pleas to stay with her children, and left without ticketing her mother. The lawsuit asserts that these actions violated her First and Fourth Amendment rights, amounting to false arrest, malicious prosecution, battery, and emotional distress.
Both cases highlight persistent concerns about Kentucky State Police practices, given the agency’s past brushes with federal lawsuits over similar civil rights infringements. Notably, the article points out that in June, yet another trooper, James Cameron Wright, was sued for excessive force in a separate tasering incident while under federal indictment.
The current litigation against Jackson comes as the force’s culture faces renewed scrutiny, with critics pointing to repeated constitutional violations, aggressive policing, and a leadership history marred by prior lawsuits for comparable misconduct.
