Jurors deadlocked on several charges in sheriff’s federal civil rights trial

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — After a second day of deliberations, the jury in the federal trial for Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill find themselves deadlocked.

Jurors told the judge that they are deadlocked on five of the seven charges against the suspended sheriff on trial for civil rights violations.

Despite unanimous decisions on two of the charges, the judge ordered the jurors to continue deliberating until they reach a decision on all seven charges.

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Federal prosecutors argue that no detainees were showing violent or uncontrollable behavior when they were restrained in a chair for hours.

They say the sheriff based his use of the chair on behavior they displayed before arriving at the jail.

In one case, prosecutors allege that Hill put a man in the chair for four hours because the detainee had previously used profanity against him. Jailers testified that at the time of the restraint, the inmate posed no threat.

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Federal law states the restraint chair can only be used if an inmate is in danger of harming themselves or others.

Sheriff Hill took the stand in his own defense for more than three hours last week. He testified that he believed the chair was safe and was not aware of any inmate getting hurt in it.

He added that violent behavior at the time of arrest factors into his decision whether to use the chair.

Defense attorney Drew Findling said Hill never did anything improper with the chair and likely kept others from getting hurt.

The jury will resume deliberations on Tuesday morning.

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Fate of Sheriff Victor Hill now in the hands of a jury Hill is accused of violating the civil rights of jail inmates by putting them in a restraint chair for hours.

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