A federal jury in Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill’s criminal trial listened to closing arguments from both sides Friday and deliberated for about four hours before asking the judge to resume Monday.
Hill is in the second week of a trial that accuses him of violating the civil rights of seven jail detainees by strapping them to a restraint chair for hours as a form of punishment. Federal law allows the use of such chairs, but only when controlling a detainee who poses a risk to himself or others.
Federal prosecutors told the jury Friday that Hill used the chairs for revenge and to settle vendettas. Hill’s defense team argued that U.S. Justice Department officials never proved Hill displayed willful disregard to break the law.
The closing arguments came one day after Hill dramatically testified in his own defense, saying the chairs were safe, he was unaware of any detainee being injured in them, and that knowledge of a detainee’s behavior at arrest influences his decision about whether to use the devices.
The closing arguments lasted an hour each and the jury — six white women, one white man, three Black women, one Black man and one man of Indian ancestry — began deliberating shortly after 12:10 p.m. They continued until at least 4:30 p.m. before breaking for the weekend.
Prosecutors said Hill ordered each of the seven detainees placed in the chair, including a 17-year-old, despite each complying with jail and sheriff’s office staff.
Federal authorities said the chairs left red marks and gashes on the detainees’ wrists and several of them urinated on themselves as they sat in the chairs for hours without being given breaks.
According to prosecutors, Hill had one detainee strapped to a chair because he didn’t show the sheriff enough respect by not fully facing the wall in Hill’s presence, while Hill used the device to teach a lesson to another detainee who had trashed his own home. A third man had quarreled with Hill on the phone, according to prosecutors.
“That was personal,” prosecutor Bret Hobson said of detainee Glen Howell’s fight with Hill. “That was revenge. That was punishment. That was illegal.”
Defense attorney Drew Findling said Hill never crossed the line. Prior actions of some of the seven alleged victims include on detainee allegedly attacking two women — one 60 and the other 82 — in a grocery store, while another detainee was accused of pulling a gun on two men in a car and barricading himself in a house during an hour-long police standoff.
A third man pretended to faint after his arrest and escaped when he was taken to a hospital for treatment. When he was caught the second time, he faked a fainting spell again. He’s now serving a 15-year sentence for striking his father in the head with a hammer on a different occasion.
“The sheriff said over and over again it’s the totality of the circumstances,” Findling told the jury.
Findling had specific ire for Howell. The Butts County landscaper said Hill looked like a “skinny Dave Chappelle” in one conversation and told the sheriff “Now you work for me” in a separate incident. Findling said that was insulting and racist toward a Black person and bordered on saying all Black people look alike.
“You can tell I detest Glenn Howell,” Findling said. “I detest racists and I detest him.”
The arguments came after U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor Ross instructed jurors on guidelines in their deliberations. If they found Hill guilty on any of the counts, they were to also explain why, such as physical injury.
Federal authorities have not released any sentencing guidelines.
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