Tommy Robinson, the former U.S. Representative and Arkansas sheriff known for his contentious tactics, has passed away at 82. He gained notoriety for chaining inmates outside a state prison as a protest against overcrowding.
Robinson passed away from natural causes after a brief illness on Wednesday night at a hospital in Forrest City, according to St. Francis County Coroner Miles Kimble.
“Tommy’s career was colorful, but it was in service to the people of Arkansas,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday. “He brought attention to issues like crime and prison overcrowding. While his methods were sometimes unconventional, they earned him admiration from voters and helped him get elected to Congress. He was never afraid of a fight.”
Robinson was first elected to the U.S. House as a Democrat in 1984, representing the 2nd District, which includes Little Rock and central Arkansas. He became a Republican in 1989 but lost the GOP primary for governor the next year.
Robinson gained national attention during his time as Pulaski County sheriff. He was elected to the position in 1980 after serving as state director of public safety. Robinson complained about the backlog of state inmates in the county jail, and in 1981, he chained a group of inmates to a gate outside an Arkansas prison to protest the overcrowding.