ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Office of the State Attorney has decided not to pursue criminal charges against a woman accused of violently resisting arrest by an Orange County sheriff's deputy.
Deidra Reid, 21, was also charged with trespassing in the incident that happened on July 20 at the Retreat apartments on East Colonial Drive in Orlando.
[WARNING, videos contain graphic language: Raw video of Deidra Reid's arrest | Second arrest]
According to the sheriff's investigation, Deputy Brett Parnell was acting as a courtesy officer on the property where he lived and was working out while his son played in the clubhouse unaccompanied.
He claimed his son ran into the gym, upset that Reid was rude to him.
Reid claimed she was there to enjoy a day at the pool with a friend who lived at the complex.
According to the report, Deputy Richard Nye, who was also a courtesy officer at the apartment, grabbed his badge and confronted Reid, who claimed his son didn't open the door for her.
Parnell claims in the report that he told Reid and her friend Reginald Lane they were both trespassing on the property, and he told them to leave.
He claimed they refused.
He said that is when he tried to subdue them both, and they both resisted.
Reid says her arm was pulled out of its socket as she was placed in handcuffs.
She and Lane both faced criminal charges.
The state attorney's office dropped Lane's charges in September.
News 6 has learned the state attorney dropped the charges against Reid on Dec. 23.
In its information notice filed with the court, the state attorney's office writes, "From the investigation which has been made, it is the opinion of the writer that this case is not suitable for prosecution."
"The situation – – any situation – – could've been handled much better. That's just how I feel," Reid told News 6 in an exclusive interview.
Her attorney, Natalie Jackson, says they are now considering a civil lawsuit, seeking damages for Reid's dislocated arm she suffered in the arrest and what Jackson calls a "slanderous" news conference conducted by Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings.
"She has had to endure being arrested, paying a bond," Jackson said. "She has a mug shot. She has a criminal court arrest record that says she's a violent felon."
At the time, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said the three deputies -- Nye, Parnell and Kristine Helms -- were the subject of an internal investigation to see if there was any wrongdoing.
The Office of Professional Standards for the sheriff's office did not respond to a request from News 6 on Wednesday seeking the status of that investigation.
