Almost a year and a half after Billy Lee Hill absorbed 16 baton strikes from a San Bernardino police officer, he says his shins still hurt too much for him to stand for long, and his work is limited to light duties at a friend’s restaurant.
But the 39-year-old Crestline resident achieved some measure of satisfaction when felony charges filed after the videotaped confrontation were dropped — and a misdemeanor charge added as part of a plea deal resulted in only a sentence of time already served after Hill pleaded guilty. The last of the charges was dismissed in late October.
“That was a big relief, you know?” Hill said in an interview.
Hill’s attorney in the criminal case and a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office could not be reached for comment on the plea bargain’s details.
The officer who struck Hill was suspended; Police Chief Darren Goodman said his actions violated department policy.
“For over a year, I have been painted as a criminal who tried to take an officer’s weapon, but the truth is finally out,” Hill said. “The dismissal of these false felony charges and the chief’s admission that his officers broke policy proves what I have said from the beginning: I was the victim that day. This isn’t just a win for me; it’s a win for the truth.”
On June 6, 2024, officers investigating a report of a stolen motorcycle encountered Hill in the parking lot of his workplace, the Kwik Stop Dairy at 133 E. 40th St.
Police said — and Hill acknowledged — that he matched the description of a man who had crashed the motorcycle. But in a police body-worn camera video, Hill denied stealing the bike and said his bike was at home.
Warning: Video contains violence, harsh language
Police cameras and a bystander’s video show officers then attempting to detain Hill, who repeatedly questions why. When officers do not answer, he twists his body a bit and briefly crouches, prompting attempts to handcuff him.
One officer tries to disable him using a stun gun, which Hill appears to grab. Hill said in the interview that he pushed it away.
One officer then pulls out his baton and repeatedly swings at Hill using a motion similar to that of a baseball batter.
“I wasn’t trying to cause problems,” Hill said in the interview. “When they started racking me up, I’m like, ‘What the hell?’ I couldn’t believe he was hitting me like that. You could hear my bones break. I was pretty much in fear for my life. If he hits me in the head, I’m through.”
Hill said he gave up protecting himself after a few strikes.
“I’m like a piñata,” Hill said.
Goodman, without identifying him, said the officer was suspended and returned to duty after additional training. The officer was also referred to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training for an investigation. POST could have revoked or suspended the officer’s certification to work in California but found that his actions did not merit discipline by that agency, Goodman said.
Hill has filed a civil lawsuit against the city of San Bernardino, alleging excessive force and other violations, seeking an unspecified monetary amount. The case is set for mediation on Dec. 8, said Hill’s civil attorney, Dale K. Galipo.
The lawsuit identifies three officers among the defendants. The lawsuit was preceded by a $5 million claim against the city, a precursor to a suit.
“I am glad to see that the chief of police, in viewing this video and other related evidence, found these baton strikes to be outside of policy,” Galipo said in an interview. “That will hopefully send a message to other officers in the department that this type of conduct will not be tolerated.”
The city, in a response filed with the court, denied the allegations.
Hill said he receives support from his wife of six years, but he is now afraid when he is around police.
“My paranoia is like 10,000,” Hill said. “You see a cop and it’s like, ‘Here we go.’ Not all cops are like that, for sure. It was my first encounter with San Bernardino P.D., and it was a brutal encounter.”