“Just Discipline:” Gainesville Man Begins Serving Sentence for Child Abuse Conviction

On April 15, Jamel Dashaun Lovan Robinson, 23, was placed into the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections to begin serving time in prison for willfully abusing a child.

Robinson was sentenced to three years in prison but his sentence comes out to a little over two years after credit for time served. Robinson’s sentence will be followed by two years of probation.

Facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison, Robinson took a plea deal that was accepted by Judge James Colaw. The sentencing sheet indicates the victim’s representatives were in agreement with the plea deal.

The arrest report states the following:

"In the video that was provided to law enforcement it shows [Robinson] maliciously and excessively battering the victim approximately 36 times with a belt while smiling, picking her up off the ground by the hair. In this video, he was in a room with several other children who were laughing at the child and recording the incident at his demand, further making the incident unusual as it was an attempt to humiliate the child. Once [Robinson] ceased his abuse he stated '25 more minutes' as he was going to beat the child again after the time had passed.

[Robinson] was then located at his residence and was detained... Post Miranda, [Robinson] stated that he beat the victim because she was supposedly having sexual relations with her [sibling] and did not count or know how many times he hit her. He also stated he punished his step son for the same thing.

[Robinson] denied having pulled the victim up by the hair but then immediately stated he did and let go when he realized he was doing it. When [Robinson] was asked how he knew that the children were having relations with one another he stated that as a father he just knew because of the way that the victim 'twisted' herself and acted around her [sibling].

[Robinson] never denied striking the child nor did he consider that striking [her] across her entire body approximately 36 times and lifting her by the hair was excessive..."

The victim was visibly injured.

Robinson said at his first appearance that his actions were “just discipline.” 

Under the conditions of his probation, Robinson cannot contact the victim and a few of her family members. Robinson’s probation requires him to take a parenting class and bans him from using corporal punishment. He will not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with children throughout his probation.