A Spokane County jury delivered a swift acquittal for former Spokane County Sheriff’s Sergeant Clay Hilton on Wednesday, clearing the veteran law enforcement officer of all criminal charges stemming from a controversial 2023 arrest.
During the proceedings, the court heard how the injuries were so pronounced that the local correctional facility deemed Hinton unfit for booking, requiring immediate medical attention instead.
The jury’s rejection of these charges suggests that while his employment could be terminated for policy breaches, his conduct did not meet the definition of a felonious attack.
Bryan Hershman, Hilton’s attorney, filed a formal notice indicating that the former deputy intends to seek this compensation from either the city or the state.
There is also the matter of the "intent to punish" versus the "intent to gain compliance." Under Washington law, proving a felony assault requires the state to prove the defendant acted with "malice" or criminal negligence that exceeds the boundaries of their job description.
Former Spokane County Deputy Clay Hilton was cleared of second-degree assault and false swearing charges following a high-profile use-of-force trial.