ATLANTA — An Atlanta-area sheriff is accused of punishing inmates by strapping them into a restraining chair for hours even though they posed no threat and were following orders. Now a jury must decide whether he violated men’s civil rights.
A federal grand jury in April 2021 indicted Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill, saying he violated the civil rights of four people in his care. Three other alleged victims were added in later charges. Prosecutors say placing the seven men in restraint chairs was unnecessary, used improperly as punishment and causing pain and bodily harm.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday and the process is expected to take at least two weeks.
Billing himself as “The Crime Fighter,” Hill uses Batman imagery on social media and in campaign ads. Since he first became sheriff in 2005, he’s been a controversial figure, attracting both fans and critics. This will be his second trial on criminal charges. Clayton County voters brought him back to office in 2012 while facing indictment on charges of using his office for personal gain – charges he ultimately defeated.
Hill and his attorneys said his charges were baseless and politically motivated.
“We strongly assert that Sheriff Hill used legal and recognized law enforcement techniques throughout his tenure and never exceeded his lawful authority,” defense attorneys Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg said in a statement. “[With]the commencement of the trial in this case, the process will begin to restore him to his constitutionally elected position as Clayton County Sheriff.”
Governor Brian Kemp suspended Hill in June 2021 pending clarification of the charges.
The US Attorney’s Office declined to comment. When Hill was first charged, then-US Attorney Kurt Erskine said the sheriff’s alleged actions not only harmed inmates but also undermined public confidence in law enforcement.
According to prosecutors, Hill approved a policy stating that the restraint chair can be used on a violent or uncontrollable person to prevent injury or property damage when other techniques don’t work, and that the chair “will never be approved as a form of punishment.” .