Prosecution rests in trial of suspended Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill

ATLANTA - Prosecutors rested their case Wednesday afternoon in the trial against suspended Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill.

A federal grand jury indicted Hill on charges that he violated the rights of seven pre-trial detainees inside the jail by having employees strap them into restraint chairs for four hours or more. Prosecutors argue that the sheriff's own policy manual states restraint chairs are only to be used to contain inmates who pose a threat to themselves or others.

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Testimony resumed Wednesday morning with the defense's cross-examination of Glenn Howell, one of the alleged victims named in the indictment. Howell is a landscaper who had a dispute with a deputy from the Clayton County Sheriff's Office in April 2020.

According to court testimony, the deputy had contracted with Howell to do some grading work on the deputy's property, but the men had a disagreement and ended their business relationship. Howell asked the deputy to pay him for the completed work and said he would be contacting the sheriff's office.

Instead, testimony revealed, Sheriff Hill called Howell and told him to stop "harassing" the deputy. Howell later decided to place a video call to Sheriff Hill to confirm it was, in fact, Hill he had spoken to that day.

Defense attorney Drew Findling said Howell told Hill to "tell your f***ing deputy to pay his motherf***ing bill," and "you can go f*** yourself."  Findling alleged Howell also made racially-charged comments on the call, including "you work for me."

"Did you understand the racist connotations of what you said to Sheriff Victor Hill?" Findling asked.

Howell said that was not his intent.

Sheriff Hill got a warrant for Howell's arrest on charges of "harassing communications" and Howell turned himself in a few days later.

While he was in the Clayton County Jail, surveillance video showed Howell cooperate with correctional officers as they searched him and booked him into the facility. Footage also shows Sheriff Hill arrive and speak to Howell, who was then put into a restraint chair.

Findling alleged Howell was drunk when he went to the jail and questioned whether that could have impaired his memory of what happened inside the jail. Howell admitted he had some beers with his dinner that night, but was adamant that he was not drunk.

The defense also tried to discredit Howell's testimony by pointing out that Howell filed a civil lawsuit against Sheriff Hill in June 2020 and could gain financially by claiming injuries.

Rashawn Johnson, a former Clayton County correctional officer, however, testified Wednesday that Howell "seemed like a nice gentleman" and described him as "mild-mannered."

"The sheriff ordered him to be placed in the chair, so he was placed in the chair," Johnson recalled.

Findling countered, though, that Johnson did not know about Howell's behavior and interactions with Sheriff Hill prior to him coming to the jail.

The prosecution also called Joseph Arnold to the stand Wednesday. Arnold was another one of the detainees named in the federal indictment.

Arnold was arrested for allegedly punching two women inside a Clayton County grocery store.

In video played during the trial, Sheriff Hill lectured Arnold about his treatment of women before ordering him into a restraint chair.

"Now sit there and see if you can get some damn sense in your head," Sheriff Hill said.

The prosecution rested around 2 p.m. 

The defense is set to present their case beginning Thursday morning with closing arguments expected Friday.