KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (CNN Newsource/WKRC) — A Tennessee grandmother is suing Knox County, its sheriff and four deputies after she says her arrest was staged as part of a reality TV show, per CNN.
Donna Dillon says, in June 2025, the Knox County Sheriff’s arrested her on a three-year-old misdemeanor assault charge that has since been dropped. The dramatic arrest was filmed for the REELZ channel show “On Patrol: Live.”
Dillon says she was handcuffed in front of her 17-year-old son, and the arresting deputies used excessive force and left her in a police vehicle for hours. The position reportedly caused pain and suffering to a shoulder she had just had surgery on.
Knox County, the sheriff and the deputies have until early September to respond to the lawsuit. “On Patrol: Live” did not comment on the lawsuit, but says Dillon’s arrest has not aired and there are no plans to air it.
Highly recommend the second link. Local 12 is Sinclair owned garbage.
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Or CNN, who actually reported it according to the original article - https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/25/us/grandmother-arrest-police-reality-show
The sheriff’s office wrote on social media the show was an opportunity to “share a glimpse into the commitment and sacrifice of the men and women who proudly serve this community” while acting with “professionalism, compassion, and dedication.”
That’s a funny way to say “exploit the poor and disadvantaged as propaganda for a powerful authoritarian right-wing paramilitary.” I’m sure this lady was so dangerous that they just had to keep her cuffed in a car for four hours fresh out of shoulder replacement surgery.
For all the piggies knew, they could have replaced her armpit with a vice, after all.
