THREE KENTUCKY STATE POLICE TROOPERS ASSIGNED TO ASHLAND, KY. POST FACE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION AFTER VIDEO POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF CONFRONTATIONAL TRAFFIC STOP IN LAWRENCE COUNTY
TROOPERS PLACED ON ‘MODIFIED DUTY’ AFTER VIDEO SHOWS THEM CURSING AND THREATENING OHIO WOMAN WHILE TRYING TO TAKE AWAY HER PHONE, ALL IN FRONT OF HER YOUNG CHILDREN
CRISTIN MITCHELL, (LOCATED IN MIDDLE OF THE FRONT ROW), OF PRESTONSBURG, KY., WHO GRADUATED FROM THE 102nd KSP TRAINING ACADEMY IN THE LATTER PART OF NOVEMBER 2022. COINCIDENTALLY, 3 OF THE OTHER 5 MALE KSP TROOPER GRADUATES IN THE PHOTO ARE NATIVES OF ‘GOOD OLE LOUISA’. THE POST 14 GRADUATES OF THE 102ND KSP TRAINING ACADEMY INCLUDED: CHASE COVERDALE, LOUISA, KY.; BRETT CRISWELL, LOUISA, KY.; COLTON CROSS, CANADA, KY.; CHRISTIN MITCHELL, PRESTONSBURG, KY.; JORDAN SAMMONS, BELFRY, KY.; AND ZACHARY WRIGHT, LOUISA, KY.
Three Kentucky State Police troopers who are stationed at the KSP Post 14 in Ashland, KY., have been placed on “modified duty” and are under an internal investigation after a video widely circulated on various social media outlets showed an explosive confrontation between the troopers and an Ohio woman in a traffic stop several weeks ago in Lawrence County.
The video, originally posted on Monday, May 20, shows an interaction between Morgan Branch, who had been traveling in Kentucky with her young children, and Trooper Cristin Mitchell, who pulled over Morgan Branch in a traffic stop on Wednesday night, May 1 for expired registration plates, among other charges, according to records obtained by the Louisville, KY. newspaper The Courier Journal.
When the interaction begins with Trooper Cristin Mitchell, who is a native of Prestonsburg, KY., and who at the time of the incident had been a KSP trooper for less than eighteen (18) months, Morgan Branch asks Trooper Mitchell to step away from her vehicle out of concern for her children in the car.
“Don’t tell me what to f—— do. I run this f—— show,” Trooper Mitchell responded.
Morgan Branch and Trooper Mitchell continued in exchanging heated comments until an unidentified male trooper is seen trying to take Branch’s phone and demanding she step out of the vehicle, but Morgan Branch continually responds that she can’t leave her car due to a faulty emergency brake and asks for a supervisor officer.
Trooper Zack Wright, of Louisa, Ky. is later seen entering the altercation in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, but after Morgan Branch asked for a ticket to be issued, that trooper is seen raising his voice and demanding information from Morgan Branch that she had previously been given.
“I’m getting pissed off and you don’t want me to get pissed off, alright?” the third trooper said. “I need your name and I need your date of birth and I need it right f—— now,” the unidentified trooper said.
Morgan Branch ultimately was not arrested, but she was given a traffic violation citation by trooper Cristin Mitchell with four motor traffic charges:
- NO/EXPIRED KENTUCKY REGISTRATION RECEIPT,
- NO/EXPIRED REGISTRATION PLATES,
- IMPROPER DISPLAY OF REGISTRATION PLATES,
- REAR LICENSE NOT ILLUMINATED.
In an email response to the Courier Journal, Kentucky State Police spokesperson Sherry Bray said the agency “is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and morals in service to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky” and will issue “appropriate correction action” to the involved troopers, if warranted.
A pretrial conference for Morgan Branch is scheduled for Wednesday, July 24 in Lawrence County District Court.
The video of the night time traffic stop incident, which runs for 10 minutes, 28 seconds; can be watched HERE.
Editor’s Note: Some of the language in the video is profane and vulgar and readers should be aware before watching it.
They are alot of it goes on they talk to people like there shit and get buy with it there men c I ps involved are little prick s trying to look good In their little town full people like them
Maybe now people will realize how our local police officers do not care about the citizens, they only love throwing their authority around. I give props to this citizen. She is one of the few that stood for her rights. And people wonder why our police are getting hurt. If that would have been a violent person she talked to like that, this could have turned out very bad. The way I see it is they put their pants on like we do. One leg at a time. Be careful everyone, because this happens more than anyone knows. It happened to me. Not by this officer and names aren’t important. I’m just glad people can see how our police are cruel and could care less about citizens. Throwing authority around is how a person gets hurt. Thanks to this lady for helping people see that police are just as or more dangerous as the onesthey pull over
Everyone of them should be fired . If not they will continue this behavior plus worse . They get away with alot because of that badge . But they are protected and we the people are not
Protect and serve…. Evidently not
I saw her acting crazy at speedway bc she isn’t allowed there for buying for underage and I’ve heard alot of negative about her and she isn’t from Ohio maybe bought the vehicle in Ohio I think both was in the wrong but I was always taught you give it how you get it
They need to make an example out of these cowards….fire them .
Well, that would be embarrassing to their families, They were singing their praises not long ago- hummm
Patrick Swayze teaches you everything you need to know in life in Roadhouse. Be nice until it’s time not to be nice
Not all police officers are like this but a lot of them treat people like trash in front of their children. They need to not make the problem worse than it already is. When you walk up on someone like you hate the world with a chip on your shoulder it will cause people to get defensive. And it doesn’t matter where she from Ohio or where ever that don’t have anything to do with it. Write her a ticket and be done.
It seems no one is surprised!! Why didn’t they also look into why they run 100 mph up and down 23.
I would like to see the body cam that shows what had provoked the police officer. There are always two sides to the story. The police officers deal with some unruly characters at times. How about, if pulled over, you comply!
That female officer is coked out of her mind. She needs to be given a drug test. Look at her eyes in the video. Holy smokes. This is well known with KSP, they’re always on some sort of speed. They also have a tendency to sexually harass and stalk women. Bunch of douche bags that peaked early in high school, trying to hold on to that feeling. Wild.