The Clayton County Sheriff, who himself has a long history of run-ins with the law, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for alleged civil rights violations.
According to several reports, the charges relate to Sheriff Victor Hill’s use of a “restraint chair,” and he has been charged with four counts of deprivation of rights under color of law.
WSBTV obtained a copy of the the indictment, which lists Hill’s alleged victims only under their initials:
When J.A. asked whether he was entitled to a fair and speedy trial, Defendant Hill replied, “Roll that chair around here. You stay out of Clayton County, you understand me? You sound like a dummy.”
When J.A. again asked whether he was entitled to a fair and speedy trial, Defendant Hill replied, “You [sic] entitled to sit in this chair, and you’re entitled to get the hell out of my county and don’t come back. That s [sic] what you’re entitled to. You sound like a damn jackass. Don’t you ever put your hand on a woman like that again. You’re fortunate that wasn’t my mother or grandmama or you wouldn’t be standing there. Now, sit there and see if you can get some damn sense in your head.”
In April of 2020, an arrestee by the initials C.H. was taken into custody, at which point Hill allegedly directed his deputies to put him in the restraint chair.
Another arrestee identified as J.H. was taken into custody after a domestic disturbance. He was allegedly placed in the restraint chair, which he fell out of, pretending to pass out. He was transported to a local hospital where he refused treatment, and left. He was picked up again later that day, and forced into the restraint chair again. According to the indictment:
Upon J.H. s his arrival at the jail, although J.H. was not combative and never posed a threat to anyone, J.H. was strapped into a restraint chair and left there for several hours per Defendant Hill’s orders.
During his time in the restraint chair, J.H. was not allowed to go to the restroom and urinated on the restraint chair.
An arrestee identified as G.H. was allegedly taken into custody after a Hill called him to settle a landscaping payment dispute between G.H. and one of Hill’s deputies. The indictment claims that as retribution for the dispute, Clayton County Sheriffs obtained a warrant to arrest G.H. for a misdemeanor, and sent a fugitive task force to his home. Upon his arrest, G.H. was allegedly “strapped into a restraint chair and left there for several hours per Defendant Hill’s orders.”
Hill is no stranger to scrutiny from federal law enforcement.
In 2013, Hill was acquitted on 25 charges stemming from allegations that he used his office illegally for his own personal gain between the years 2004 to 2008.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
