Read the federal lawsuit filed by indicted Johnston school board member Ronald Johnson

A federal lawsuit filed by Johnston County school board member Ronald Johnson explains what he says happened when he was fired by the Smithfield Police Department and indicted on criminal charges.

Johnson lost his job as a Smithfield police detective, was censured by the school board and was indicted in April on charges of extortion, felony obstruction of justice and three counts of willfully failing to discharge his duties.

In his lawsuit, Johnson says he’s a sexual assault victim. He claims he’s a victim of a conspiracy to remove him from political office and deprive him of a livelihood.

Johnson names multiple defendants, including the school board, Town of Smithfield, Johnston County District Attorney and the special prosecutor handling his case.

Johnson is alleging sex discrimination, violation of his civil rights, American With Disabilities Act discrimination, violation of his First Amendment rights, wrongful termination and defamation.

Read the document here.

This story was originally published June 29, 2023 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Read the federal lawsuit filed by indicted Johnston school board member Ronald Johnson."

T. Keung Hui

The News & Observer

919-829-4534

T. Keung Hui has covered K-12 education for the News & Observer since 1999, helping parents, students, school employees and the community understand the vital role education plays in North Carolina. His primary focus is Wake County, but he also covers statewide education issues.