Clayton County settles ex-deputy's disability discrimination lawsuit
(FOX 5)
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - Clayton County has settled a lawsuit with one of the county's former deputies who was allegedly discriminated against and fired by ex-Sheriff Victor Hill.
The plaintiff, Vincent Handsford, received $400,000 in the settlement, his attorneys told FOX 5.
Attorneys say Hill repeatedly denied Handsford promotions, demoted him four ranks from a deputy sergeant to a corrections officer, and denied him accommodation due to his disability status.
Handsford, who had been with the Clayton County Sheriff's Office since 2012, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2015.
After alleged years of discrimination, Hill fired Handsford in 2019.
Lawyers claim that Hill continued to retaliate against Handsford after his termination, threatening him with arrest if he entered the Clayton County Courthouse - the place where his lawsuit was originally filed - and "personally interfering" in the ex-deputy's attempt to get another job in law enforcement.
MORE: Ex-Clayton Sheriff Victor Hill facing new civil lawsuit over inmate treatment
"After meeting Mr. Handsford and hearing his story, we knew we had to fight for him," said Ashley Wilson Clark, who has worked on the case for the past six years. "We’ve faced two significant adverse changes in the law from the United States Supreme Court and the Georgia Court of Appeals during the course of this long case, which makes this resolution even more satisfying for our client and us. Mr. Handsford’s courage and steadfast belief in the cause of justice has been an incredible inspiration, and we’re thrilled he can finally move forward in his law enforcement career with this chapter behind him."
The settlement was between Handsford and current Sheriff Levon Allen, who inherited the lawsuit after Hill's convicton on federal charges.