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Victor Hill posts video boarding plane
Before reporting to prison, former Clayton County sheriff Victor Hill posted a video of himself boarding a plane to his public Facebook page. He was set to report to a facility in Arkansas Monday.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - With a briefcase in his hand and a phone to his ear, disgraced former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill is seen a video posted to his Facebook page appearing to board a private plane.
Hill was ordered last week to report to FCI Forrest City Low in Forrest City, Arkansas, at noon on Monday after a failed motion to continue his prison reporting date and allow for bond until his appeal is heard.
Monday morning, just before 10 a.m., a video titled "Strength and Honor!" was posted to Hill’s personal Facebook page. The video implies he was headed to begin his year-and-a-half in prison after last year being convicted of violating the civil rights of 6 detainees in the Clayton County Jail. It shows him dressed more for a vacation than prison, wearing a short-sleeved shirt with a tiger print on it and cargo shorts with flip-flops.
Hill shakes hands with a man standing next to the small jet before crossing over a small red carpet, and ascending the steps. The man then boards and closes the door to the plane.
FCI Forrest City is a low-security facility with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp, according to its website. There are 1,729 inmates’ houses at the prison and camp.
During his sentencing hearing, four character witnesses asked Judge Ross for leniency for Hill, including a former inmate who said Hill became a "father figure" to him and the current Clayton County sheriff, Levon Allen.
After his release, he will also be under supervised released for six years and must perform 100 hours of community service.
Judge Ross admitted in court that she "truly struggled" with Hill's case, in part, because it was a unique situation. However, she also said Hill's love of power overcame his love of the law, and she mentioned his "arrogance" several times.
Attorneys for Hill already are working on his appeal citing at least three "substantial questions of law" in the case. They claim Hill did not have fair warning that his conduct was illegal, and the evidence presented during his trial was lacking for the conviction.
The biggest claim may be the second modified Allen charge jurors received to urge them to render a verdict. Hill’s lawyers argue the judge ignored "repeated motions for mistrial," claiming the Allen charge led to "eleven jurors…ganging up on and berating [a] holdout juror."
Those key points were argued during his motion to continue his sentence. The judge did not find substantial grounds to grant delaying his sentence.