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U.S. NEWS Saturday 24 June 2017

Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio to face day of reckoning in court

By JACQUES BILLEAUD fic stops.
Associated Press Arpaio has brought several
PHOENIX (AP) — The po- longshot legal efforts. He
litical career of Joe Arpaio tried unsuccessfully to bar
ended last year when the prosecutors from mention-
six-term sheriff of metro ing his comments about
Phoenix known for cracking immigration during his last
down on illegal immigra- three campaigns. And he
tion and housing inmates in subpoenaed U.S. Attorney
tents outside in the desert General Jeff Sessions as a
heat was trounced in an witness.
election that focused on Attorney Andy Jacob, who
his own legal troubles. isn’t involved in the case
Now, the 85-year-old who but has watched much of
called himself America’s it as a court spectator, said
toughest sheriff will face his the criminal charge will en-
day of reckoning in court sure that the sheriff’s office
for defying a judge’s order will comply the next time a
to stop traffic patrols that judge hands down an or-
targeted immigrants. der.
Arpaio’s trial starts Monday “This is to vindicate the
on a criminal contempt-of- power of the court,” he
court charge for prolong- said.
ing the patrols for nearly a Tom Morrissey, a retired
year and a half. The judge In this Sunday, Nov. 17, 2017 file photo Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio talks with reporters chief U.S. marshal who
later found that Arpaio’s following a jailyard meeting with inmates of the “Tent City” section of the Durango facility in down- has been a friend of Ar-
officers had racially pro- town Phoenix. paio’s for more than two
filed Latinos. Associated Press decades, said the former
The former sheriff could sheriff’s supporters are furi-
face up to six months in jail, paio attorney, said the same election that sent crushing defeat in Novem- ous about how he’s being
though lawyers who have former sheriff is charged Donald Trump to the White ber to retired Phoenix po- treated in the courts and in
followed his case doubt with a crime for cooperat- House after using some lice Sgt. Paul Penzone. news coverage.
he would get locked up if ing with federal immigra- of the same immigration The things that Arpaio used “That fury is growing. Joe
convicted. tion authorities, which the rhetoric that made Arpaio over the years to boost his is just one of the victims of
His critics hope the case Trump administration now a national name a decade popularity — TV interviews, a corrupt process and a
will bring a long-awaited is encouraging more police earlier. news releases and tough corrupt system,” said Mor-
comeuppance for the agencies to do. The key issue in the trial will talk about America’s bor- rissey, a former state GOP
former lawman who led “This is really just a fight be whether Arpaio inten- der woes — are now being chairman.
crackdowns that divided about immigration law and tionally violated a judge’s used against him in court. Lydia Guzman, a Latino
immigrant families and what it means,” Wilenchik 2011 order to stop the pa- Arpaio said in a news re- civil rights advocate and
escaped accountability said. “And Arpaio is trying trols. Arpaio acknowledges lease a week after the longtime Arpaio critic,
when he regularly flouted to do what a good cop that he kept up the immi- judge told him to stop the said a criminal conviction
the rules. does, which is to enforce gration enforcement but patrols that he would con- would help hold the for-
Attorney Mike Manning, the law.” says it was not on purpose. tinue to enforce immigra- mer sheriff accountable
who isn’t involved in the Arpaio, reached by phone For a conviction, prosecu- tion laws. A few weeks lat- for breaking the rules and
case but has sued Arpaio last week, declined to tors must prove he intend- er, he told a TV interviewer tarnish his reputation.
several times over deaths in comment. ed to disobey the judge. that deputies were still de- “This will be his legacy, that
the jails, said the famously He rode to national promi- The judge found Arpaio ig- taining immigrants in the he abused his power,”
defiant Arpaio deserves his nence by launching highly nored the order because country illegally. Guzman said. “It will end in
fate because he “saluted publicized immigration he believed his immigration It’s not clear if Arpaio will a mugshot. I don’t think he
the court with his middle crackdowns, landing him in enforcement efforts would testify, but two people who is afraid of jail. I think he is
finger” when he violated court when Hispanic immi- help his 2012 re-election were illegally detained afraid of what this will do to
the court order. grants sued. He was ousted campaign. His legal trou- plan to take the witness his image and the legacy
Jack Wilenchik, an Ar- from office last year in the bles likely contributed to his stand to describe their traf- he leaves behind.”q