In a recent court filing, Jordan Newsome has lodged a complaint against Deputy Sheriff Greg Robinson and the Hardin County Sheriff's Department, alleging excessive use of force. The lawsuit was filed on May 31, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on April 26, 2024, when Deputy Robinson arrived at Newsome's residence to assist Rebecca Johnson in retrieving her personal property. Johnson was accompanied by a representative from Lutheran Social Services. During their conversation about the custody of two minor children—of whom Newsome is the father and Johnson is the mother—Newsome maintained a distance of at least 25 feet from Johnson and the representative.
The complaint alleges that without any provocation or warning, Deputy Robinson approached Newsome from behind and shot him with a taser. Despite Newsome's cries for him to stop and his subsequent fall to the ground as a signal of non-resistance, Robinson continued to discharge the taser. This caused severe pain and required medical treatment for Newsome. Fortunately for Newsome, he recorded the entire incident on his cell phone.
Newsome asserts that he posed no threat during the encounter and that Robinson’s actions were excessive, unnecessary, and unjustified. The complaint further states that after being tased multiple times, Newsome was handcuffed and detained in Robinson’s squad car for approximately an hour before being released without any charges.
The lawsuit claims that Deputy Robinson violated Newsome’s Fourth Amendment rights by using unreasonable force and conducting an unlawful seizure. Additionally, it accuses Hardin County and its Sheriff's Department of failing to properly train or discipline their officers regarding excessive force. The suit alleges that these failures are part of broader de facto policies within the department that encourage such behavior.
Newsome is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for physical pain, psychological trauma, and ongoing medical treatment resulting from his injuries. He also requests attorneys' fees and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Jordan Newsome are attorneys Darrell Dunham of Carbondale, Illinois, and Doug Gill from Gill Law Firm. The case has been assigned Case ID 3:24-cv-01423-RJD with Judge RJD presiding.