CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga — A federal appeals court has ruled that a lawsuit against former Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill may proceed, rejecting Hill’s attempt to claim immunity from allegations of civil rights abuses and excessive force.

The lawsuit, filed by former jail detainee Glenn Howell, accuses Hill of violating his civil rights by keeping him restrained in a chair for hours. Hill argued that he should be immune from legal action because his actions were part of his official duties as sheriff being responsible for maintaining jail safety.

However, the federal court in Atlanta denied Hill’s appeal, citing its previous decision to uphold his criminal conviction for civil rights violations. Hill was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for using excessive force against inmates at the Clayton County Jail.

With this decision, the lawsuit against him will move forward in court.