CBS Atlanta 46Former sheriff gives first post-jail interview to CBS Atlanta News

Former sheriff gives first post-jail interview to CBS Atlanta News

Clayton County's former sheriff, Victor Hill, was indicted and arrested last week. Today he spoke to CBS Atlanta's Wendy Saltzman in his first interview since getting out of jail. Hill posted bond late Friday on theft and racketeering charges.

The former sheriff held his silence about that arrest until today. He has said all along he is innocent but the evidence against him is mounting.

"Did you steal county money?" Saltzman asked Hill.

"The only thing I am guilty of is running for sheriff," he replied.

In his first interview since spending two days behind bars Hill responded to allegations he ran the Clayton County sheriff's office like a criminal enterprise.

"Some serious allegations have been made against you," Saltzman said.

"They aren't serious," Hill's attorney Musa Ghanayem responded.

"That he stole county money, that's not serious?" Saltzman asked.

"I am confident that this indictment will not stand," Ghanayem said "This is an indictment that is alleging $14 here $13 there, manipulated into it being put into a Rico indictment."

Records obtained by CBS Atlanta News show Hill transferred $7,000 from his campaign to a corporation where Hill is named as the president, secretary, and treasurer.

"I want to respond, I want to say no that's not so, but by court order I can't," Hill said.

Hill says he can't respond based on grand jury rules that prevent him from talking about evidence presented to the grand jury. But as of right now there is no gag order in the case preventing him from defending himself.

"An allegation was made that you had a county employee write your autobiography," Saltzman asked.

"I can't get into every allegation," Hill said.

Former Clayton County employee and Hill spokesperson Jonathon Newton were also named in the indictment.

"He just kept saying if you don't do this, I am going to fire you," Newton told Saltzman.

Newton says Hill, while sheriff, ordered him to write his autobiography on county time. He played an audio tape where he says Hill is directing him to finish the book.

"I'm not worried about that. Everyone is gunning for my head. I've got to finish a book. There is nothing they can do to me, I just want the book finished," Hill says in the recording.

"That was leaked, I don't know who it was leaked from. All I know is that information is not supposed to be out there," Ghanayem said.

Hill only said again he is innocent, and the truth will come out. And he said he will still have his name on the ballot for sheriff.

"He is innocent, he is cloaked in completely, in a cloak of innocence, he does not have to defend himself," Ghanayem said.

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