NEWS BRIEF: Jury finds Georgia sheriff guilty of violating detainees’ civil rights

A Georgia sheriff was found guilty this week of violating the civil rights of detainees by strapping them to chairs for hours as punishment. Victor Hill, who served as sheriff of Clayton County for ten years, was indicted in April 2021 for using restraint chairs for purposes other than emergencies. Hill faces up to 10 years in prison upon sentencing. In 2020, the Marshall Project estimated the use of restraint chairs in county jails around the United States was linked to 20 deaths over the previous six years, Courthouse News reports.

“Sadly, we know of too many examples of sheriffs engaging in the same kind of punitive brutality that was challenged in this case,” Lauren Bonds, legal director of the National Police Accountability Project, said in an interview. She added, “There is very little transparency into what happens in jails and local governments have few options to check an abusive sheriff. We hope that the jury’s decision will put other sheriff’s offices on notice that they aren’t above the law and can face consequences.” Details: courthousenews.com