In Racial Profiling Lawsuit, Ariz. Judge Rules Sheriff Arpaio In Contempt Of Court

[FuzzyLumpkins]

An Arizona judge has ruled that Joe Arpaio, who calls himself "America's toughest sheriff," is in civil contempt of court. Judge G. Murray Snow says Arpaio has repeatedly and knowingly disobeyed his orders to cease policing tactics against Latinos that he says amount to systemic racial profiling.

Friday's ruling brings the six-term Maricopa County sheriff "a step closer to a possible criminal contempt case that could expose him to fines and even jail time," member station KJZZ reports.

If you remember, this lawsuit is over controversial policing strategies that Arpaio said are aimed at cracking down on undo ented immigrantion. NPR's Ted Robbins described the tactics at the time:

"Sheriff Arpaio has been holding what he calls saturation patrols in Phoenix-area neighborhoods. They're aimed at rounding up people in the country without proper do ents. Deputies have been stopping cars and detaining people while they ran immigration status checks through the federal government's database. So, the case was brought by a group of citizens and legal residents who said they'd been stopped just because they are Hispanic."
The judge ruled three years ago that the tactics were illegal and must stop. He ordered "a sweeping overhaul of the agency, including making patrol officers wear body cameras and conducting more training to ensure officers aren't making uncons utional traffic stops," KJZZ reports.

Since then, Arpaio has publicly acknowledged violating the order – including "letting deputies conduct his signature immigration patrols 18 months after the judge barred them," KJZZ says. He argued in court that the violations were "not intentional."

But in the 162-page ruling in the case against Arpaio and two other law enforcement officials, the court says they "intentionally failed" to implement the injunction. "In short, the Court finds that the Defendants have engaged in multiple acts of misconduct, dishonesty, and bad faith with respect to the Plaintiff class and the protection of its rights," the court do ents read.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...tempt-of-court

[Splits]

Federal judge refers Sheriff Joe Arpaio for criminal contempt

6:18 p.m. MST August 19, 2016

A federal judge said Friday that he will refer Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to be charged with criminal contempt of court.

The decision comes after U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow found that Arpaio intentionally violated various orders rooted in an 8-year-old racial-profiling case.

The ruling additionally refers Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan, Arpaio's former defense attorney Michele Iafrate, and Capt. Steve Bailey for criminal contempt prosecution as well.

"Criminal contempt serves to vindicate the Court's authority by punishing the intentional disregard for that authority," Snow wrote in his Friday order.

Snow’s decision, announced in a federal court filing, answers the key question looming over what has been more than a year of contempt proceedings: Was the disregard of orders a criminal or civil contempt-of-court violation?

But it creates a whole new set of legal questions for the embattled lawman.

• Will the U.S. Attorney’s Office accept the recommendation?
• What will the charge be?
• If Arpaio is found guilty, will a conviction legally force him to resign?
• Could Arpaio end up behind bars?
• Will Snow's decision affect his odds for a seventh term?

Reached for comment Friday evening, Arpaio said he hadn’t yet read the order but that it was being reviewed by his attorneys.

“We’re moving forward, we’re doing our job,” he said. “There’ll be aggressive appeals.”

Arpaio said he was looking forward to an “independent review,” clarifying that he meant a review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Civil-rights advocates, many who have attended courtroom hearings or protested outside of them for years, are celebrating what they see as a step toward what they have demanded for years: to hold Arpaio and his aides criminally responsible for his office’s racial profiling of Latinos.

But former U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton said there are few cases to look to for precedent. In a July interview, Charlton said he couldn’t think of another instance in which a federal judge had referred the head of a law-enforcement agency for criminal contempt.

“Fortunately in this country, it doesn’t happen,” Charlton said. “All of this is going to be relatively new in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

John Leonardo is the U.S. attorney for Arizona.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...sion/87587572/

[boutons_deux]

Sheriff Arpaio Claims New ‘Revelations’ in Obama Birth Certificate Investigation

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans to hold a news conference on Thursday where he will announce the “newest” revelation about his investigation into President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

http://lawnewz.com/crazy/sheriff-arp...investigation/

[Thread]

Sheriff Arpaio Claims New ‘Revelations’ in Obama Birth Certificate Investigation

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans to hold a news conference on Thursday where he will announce the “newest” revelation about his investigation into President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

http://lawnewz.com/crazy/sheriff-arp...investigation/

Bless his heart. He kept Soros occupied here whilst Trump took Hillary out there.

[Fabbs]

Ever since reading about that kuunthole Arpaio denying a pregnant prisoner medical treatment causing her to lose the baby, Arpaio is dead to me.

OP what ever happened to the contempt charge.