A planned protest outside of the Hunt County Sheriff's Office on Apr. 13 drew a handful of people in support of Deanna Robinson, the woman at the center of a widely-circulated video which shows a deputy hitting the then-pregnant Robinson during an arrest on March 4.
Monday’s event offered an opportunity for Robinson to meet with those gathered and to speak with reporters about the incident and the ongoing investigation.
“And obviously to seek justice, which has not yet been addressed,” Robinson said, citing the officers involved in the video were all still on duty as of Monday.
Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks noted Deputy Joshua Robinson, no relation, is not currently on patrol, after receiving death threats.
“He’s been working,” Meeks said. “He’s been working in the office. He and I both have received death threats.”
The 30-second video shows the deputy striking Robinson as he and a Quinlan Police Department officer attempt to restrain her, while an officer with Child Protective Services (CPS) serves an order to take custody of Robinson’s 18-month-old son.
Meeks has claimed an alternative narrative was that Robinson may have been going for his deputy’s gun, an assertion which Robinson repeated Monday was “just absurd to me.”
She was arrested following the incident and charged with assaulting a public servant, resisting arrest and interfering with child custody.
The incident is the focus of an investigation by the Texas Rangers.
Carol Gustin, Robinson’s attorney, said she had attempted to file a formal complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Office and was referred to the Hunt County District Attorney’s Office.
“We have made a formal complaint with the district attorney’s office and we have cooperated with the Texas Rangers,” Gustin said.
Meeks said he did not intend to take action concerning the reported death threats until after the Texas Rangers complete the investigation into the videotaped incident, adding the deputy will remain on duty during the interim.
“He’s helping with the Criminal Investigations Division,” Meeks said.
Robinson said Monday she believes the situation could have turned out much worse, given how many videos of alleged law enforcement officer brutality are being circulated in recent weeks.
“We’re just thankful we’re all alive, quite frankly,” she said.
Robinson and Gustin said another protest may be planned for Monday night’s Quinlan City Council meeting, as well as at a Hunt County Sheriff’s Town Hall meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Campbell City Hall.