Victor Hill's career

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Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill's career

Photos from the tumultuous career of Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill

Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill was convicted in October 2022 of violating the civil rights of detainees and in March 2023 was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. (John Spink / AJC 2019 photo)

Victor Hill, who fashions himself as a superhero in social media posts, has won election four times and has served as Clayton sheriff for nearly 15 years despite a series of trials and suspensions. Here are a few of the highlights and lowlights. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC 2013 photo)

Before he was elected sheriff, Victor Hill was a detective and state representative. He is seen in this 2004 photo in the State Capitol. (Ben Gray / AJC 2004 photo)

April 2, 2004: This sign on Georgia Highway 138 announces that Victor Hill is a candidate for Clayton County Sheriff. (Johnny Crawford / AJC 2004 photo)

January 1, 2005: On his first official day as Clayton sheriff, Hill fired 27 officers and had them escorted from the building with snipers posted on the roof. In this photo, Hill swears in corrections officers at the Clayton County Sheriff's Department. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC 2005 photo)

January 7, 2005: Fired Clayton County Deputy Doug Massengale holds up one of his items that was given to him earlier that day. He was one of the deputies fired by new Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill. Boxes containing personal items of each deputy were carried out of the sheriff department by other officers on Friday. (Johnny Crawford / AJC 2005 photo)

January 7, 2005: Fired Clayton County Deputy Garland Lee Watkins checks one of the boxes containing his plaques on the back of his truck. (Johnny Crawford / AJC 2005 photo)

January 13, 2005: Lawyer, Harlan Miller (center) holds the door for the 26 out of 27 Sheriff's Department employees who were fired then rehired by Hill. A judge ordered Hill to reinstate the workers until the issue is sorted out by the courts. But instead of allowing them to return to work, Hill placed them on administrative leave with pay. Hill had a change of heart. He said he was concerned about the welfare of the workers' families and would allow them to return to work, though he said he couldn't say exactly what they would be doing. The workers showed up for work at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center in Clayton County only to be demoted and moved off campus to work with at the work release division of the sheriff department. (John Spink / AJC 2005 photo)

February 9, 2005: Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill walks through the Windjammer Shopping Center. This was one of the areas he patrolled as a Clayton County Police officer and one of the areas he wants to be free from drug dealers. (Johnny Crawford / AJC 2005 photo)

October 13, 2006: Hill inspects his deputies uniforms, guns, and handcuffs. Hill stated that he wants to the sheriff office to be professional and his officers as well. Hill requires uniform staff to salute if they encounter the sheriff or anyone of higher rank, according to documents. Civilian employees must stop what they are doing and stand if Hill enters the room. Inmates must turn and face a wall if the sheriff comes into the area. (Johnny Crawford / AJC 2006 photo)

April 11, 2007: Flanked by pictures of Clayton County magistrate judge Dorian Murry, Hill announces a poker bust. The judge was among those arrested in the night raid on a suspected Clayton County gambling hall. (John Spink / AJC 2007 photo)

Aug. 5, 2008: Kem Kimbrough, seen in this later photo, defeats Hill in the Democratic primary. (Jason Getz / AJC 2008 photo)

Jan. 18, 2012: Hill smiles and waves at members of the media as he arrives at court to appear before a grand jury considering indicting him on proposed charges of theft by taking, violation of oath of office, and racketeering. (Bob Andres / AJC 2012 photo)

Jan. 18, 2012: Hill is indicted on four counts of racketeering, 29 counts of theft by taking, two counts of making a false statement and one count each of violation of oath of a public officer and influencing a witness. Prosecutors say he used his office and his campaign money for himself and not the intended purposes. A judge later dismissed five of 37 felony charges against Hill. (Gwinnett County Jail)

Jan. 20, 2012: Victor Hill leaves Gwinnett County Jail in Lawrenceville. (Hyosub Shin / AJC 2012 photo)

Feb. 29, 2012: Hill moves to the podium to plead not guilty following his indictment. (Bob Andres / AJC 2012 photo)

August 16, 2012: Hill speaks at candidate forum. He was elected sheriff later in the year. His court case is hold until an appeals court decided whether a trial judge was correct in dismissing five of the original 37 charges. (Kent D. Johnson / AJC 2012 photo)

After one day of deliberations, a Clayton County jury acquits Victor Hill of all 32 remaining charges. Hill soon resumed his duties. (Ben Gray / AJC 2012 photo)

In May 2015, Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill was charged in the shooting of Gwenevere McCord while Hill was demonstrating police maneuvers to her at a Gwinnett County model home where McCord worked as a real estate broker at the time. Hill was charged with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor. (Gwinnett County Jail)

In McCord's shooting, Victor Hill pleaded no contest to the reckless conduct charge. His Peace Officers Standard and Training Council certification was suspended for two years but he remained in office. McCord endorsed him in his 2016 campaign for sheriff. (AJC file)

Victor Hill was reelected in 2016 and again in 2020.

In 2018, Sheriff Victor Hill arrested Robert Hawes, a former Clayton deputy who planned to run against him for sheriff, and charged him with filing false documentation and violation of oath of office. A week earlier, Hill had arrested Hawes' wife for what Hill claimed was harrassment. (Ben Gray / AJC file)

July, 2019: Mitzi Bickers, right, who is indicted in connection with a federal bribery probe at Atlanta City Hall, becomes Clayton County's chief chaplain, as part of her job with the Clayton sheriff's office. She had previously worked as a campaign adviser for Hill. (File)

July, 2020: The Southern Center for Human Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia file suit against Hill, who they say violated open records laws by allegedly refusing requests to turn over documents about any COVID-19 cases at the jail. (John Spink / AJC 2020 photo)

Victor Hill may be divisive to many outside of the south metro community, but many residents said he’s popular on his home turf because he focuses on everyday issues that other politicians don’t. (John Spink / AJC 2020 photo)

As part of the federal indictments, Victor Hill, seen here exiting court, was accused of strapping detainees at the Clayton Jail in restraint chairs as a form of punishment. "It felt like a lifetime," said one detainee who testified against Hill. (AJC file)

Oct. 20, 2022: Victor Hill, who pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, took the stand to defend himself. Hill claimed that any detainees placed in restraint chairs had shown aggressive behavior when they arrived at the jail. (Lauren Lacy for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

In October, 2022, Victor Hill was convicted on six charges that he violated the civil rights of jail detainees and was acquitted on one charge. He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Hill is appealing the sentence and is scheduled to report to Forrest City Low federal prison in Forrest City, Ark., on May 15, 2023. (AJC file)

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Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill was convicted in October 2022 of violating the civil rights of detainees and in March 2023 was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. (John Spink / AJC 2019 photo)

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