Can you do start?
Will you tell him to stop? I'm
not doing this is cell phone video
from a violent June 2019 encounter
between a high school teacher
and coach and a deputy from the
Williamson County Sheriff's Office.
What is going on? Marquina Gillum
hits was with her friend outside
her apartment when Deputy Sean
Feldman said he responded to a
noise complaint because of a quote.
Somewhat boisterous
conversation they were having.
I don't have it on this. I am not a
threat when he asked for
her identification, their
interaction escalated.
Not that price said and ended in this
violent clash which Feldman picked
him up and slammed her to the
ground as his friend recorded.
Today, Hicks is still so
traumatized by what happened.
It's painful for her to
talk about it. You ask me to open up those
wounds again to be vulnerable again.
And. As a person.
I would like to move forward from it.
Now that would take time,
and I understand that in
June with the two year statute
of limitations approaching,
Hicks filed this lawsuit in State
District Court against Williamson
County and Deputy Feldman,
part of what she says is her own healing
and search for justice. Hirsute now, part
of an unprecedented number of
claims against the county.
We feel what critics say were the
actions of a runaway department
led by a renegade sheriff.
There's clearly been an increasing claims.
All told, there are now 14 pending
lawsuits against the county stemming
from actions of the Sheriff's
Office and its deputies Moran.
Former Sheriff Robert Chody for years,
then in the 12 years under
previous Sheriff James Wilson,
according to county records.
Many of the suits highlight the
findings of a yearlong investigation
by The Cave you defenders and to the
Williamson County Sheriff's Office.
Much of it stemming from its
relationship with the show live PD,
represented by Ben Crump,
one of the nation's most
prominent civil rights attorneys.
They include this wrongful death suit
from the family of Javier Ambler,
who died after an encounter
with two deputies who now face
manslaughter charges in his death.
The second I saw a camera had
a feeling of what was going on.
And Gary Watsky and his son Asher,
whose home was the subject of a no
knock raid so deputies could arrest
Asher after a fight with his roommate,
even though he had been in
court hours earlier.
The lawsuits are already having
serious costs to the county and the
numbers are likely to get much higher.
A cave you defenders investigation
found that Williamson County
has two insurance policies for
law enforcement litigation,
totaling $5 million in coverage each year.
The county's insurance companies
have already paid out $2.3 million
in settlements and 400 and $7000
and deductible amounts from suits
stemming from Cody's administration
because of the number of cases,
insurance premiums have risen dramatically,
one policy raising its rates
from 74,000 annually to 320,000,
according to the county Auditor's office.
That's a 331% increase.
Good news is that the Commissioners
court had the foresight and we've
budgeted accordingly. But yes,
the premiums have increased. County
Judge Bill Gravell emphasizes that
in November the county Buddha Chody
from office and elect a new sheriff,
Mike Gleason, who he says is
putting reforms in place to prevent
future litigation. We have a new
sheriff in town and he is guiding the
ship in such a way that will, I hope,
reduced the litigation in the days ahead.
For plaintiffs, including Hicks,
they say bringing a suit isn't
about money. For them, it is about
making sure the county is held
accountable for what
happened and changing its practices.
Will justice be served with just my lawsuit?
I don't feel that. Is it a start? Yes.
There is no timeline for when the county
aspects to have these claims resolved.
Keep in mind it could take months or years.
The deputy in his case
does remain on the force.
He did arrest her that night
on a resisting arrest charge,
but prosecutors later dismissed
the case for The Cave.
You defenders Tony Plotsky KV news.