Former A-State employee alleges arrest was unjust

Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — April 16, 2025 — A Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based attorney has filed suit in U.S. District Court on behalf of a former employee of Arkansas State University, alleging the employee was falsely accused of stealing items belonging to the university.

Just Emerson of Jonesboro was arrested by University Police on July 29, 2024. According to a UPD affidavit, Emerson was accused of taking nearly $3,000 worth of items from the Windgate Center for Three-Dimensional Arts. The property listed included ADA pottery wheel adapters, tables, molds, scrap metal, cups, wood, a kiln shelf, drills, jars, chairs, pottery supplies, clay, anvils, screens, wire, and more.

UPD said in the affidavit that Emerson “had no legal rights to the property” because the items taken were either “bought using funds from the State of Arkansas” or were “donated to the A-State art department.”

On Nov. 14, 2024, Circuit Judge Barbara Halsey signed an Order of Nolle Prosequi ordering that the charges against Emerson be dropped. The order was also signed by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Presley Phillips Noel.

According to the order, the charges were dropped because “the Defendant provided the State with evidence that the property taken was previously owned by Defendant or believed to be owned by Defendant; and because evidence provided to the State corroborates that no actual crime was committed by Defendant and the victim suffered no loss.”

Arkansas State University, Zach Tate, Marcy Wallace, Lori Winn, Katrina Watson, Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, Dr. Katherine Baker, Leah Schroeder, Andy Thrasher, and UPD Police Chief Randy Martin are named as defendants in the lawsuit filed on behalf of Emerson by attorney Robert V. Cornish, Jr.

“This incident turned a literal pile of junk into an alleged felony,” Cornish said. “(It) has ruined and continues to ruin Emerson’s otherwise quiet life.”

In addition to being falsely accused, the lawsuit alleges defamation, abuse of process and invasion of privacy. The suit seeks unspecified punitive and compensatory damages.

Brad Phelps, general counsel for Arkansas State University System, told JRN that “We will vigorously defend our institution and the individuals named in this meritless lawsuit.”