DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A mayoral candidate for the newly formed city of Stonecrest in DeKalb County refuted claims that he has a mental illness during a news conference on Monday.
Charles Hill addressed negative claims and a mailer sent to voters at the morning news conference in Decatur.
WATCH: A mayoral candidate refutes mental illness claims
Prior to the news conference, Hill released the following statement detailing the claims against him:
“On Saturday, March 18, 2017, a mailer was sent to many residents in the new City of Stonecrest, inaccurately portraying Charles Hill as suffering from mental illness. Also, this mailer maliciously includes a naked photo of deceased veteran Anthony Hill and tries to articulate a non-existing link between the two men. We are disgusted that anyone would use a fallen veteran's image and medical history to augment their chances of winning a public office.
"Make no mistake, the person or persons, behind "Blueprint to Reform DeKalb," the shadowy group with an address that doesn't exist, and responsible for this flyer, believes their dirty trick would help them score cheap political points by attacking Charles Hill. But by mocking people who live and survive despite mental health struggles, they are attacking all of us - our friends and family members. We want to stress this mailer is totally inaccurate, non-factual, and in no way true. Also, we encourage the people that produced and distributed this deplorable mailer to take into consideration, we are all God's children and those with mental disabilities or illnesses, especially our veterans, should never be used for political gain.”
Hill suggests the rumors are a last-ditch effort to deter residents from voting him in the city's upcoming mayoral election.
Anthony Hill, who Charles Hill says is not related to him, was shot and killed by a DeKalb County police officer while he ran naked and unarmed in an apartment parking lot. The officer who fired the shot was later charged with the death, and fired from the department.
The flyer that Hill provided had an address for the “Blueprint to Reform DeKalb” group but no names or phone numbers.
Jason Lary, a fellow mayoral candidate for the City of Stonecrest, denounced the flyers in a video statement sent to FOX 5 News.
"To personally attack someone in a malicious manner, displayed with this recent flyer from Blueprint to Reform DeKalb has gone way to far, has sunk way too low...this is reprehensible and shameful. I condemn and denounce it," said Lary in the video.
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