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Apology ordered in court paper flap

by Kevin Tripp/KTAR (November 18th, 2009 @ 11:26am)

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A Maricopa County Sheriff's detention officer has been ordered to apologize to a public defender for taking a document from files on her desk during a sentencing in Superior Court.

Judge Gary Donahoe said Officer Adam Stoddard must issue his apology at a news conference on the north plaza of the Central Court Building on or before Nov. 30 or face jail for contempt of court.

Stoddard was pictured on courtroom video Oct. 19 taking a piece of paper from the courtroom desk of Public Defense Joanne Cuccia.

Stoddard later told the judge he took the paper and made copies after seeing some suspicious words on it.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Wednesday that he stands behind Stoddard and does not expect him to apologize at a news conference.

"Superior Court judges do not order my officers to hold press conferences," Arpaio said in a statement. "I decide who holds press conferences and when they are held regarding this Sheriff's Office."

Arpaio added, "My officer was doing his job and I will not stand by and allow him to be thrown to the wolves by the courts because they feel pressure from the media on this situation."


Last 5 Comments

  • Reply Abuse Vote
    Mandate
    cotton
    Sheriff Joe Arpaio has a clear mandate to clean up crime, wherever and whenever he finds it,even if it means arresting a judge.
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    Throw this criminal deputy in jail
    JoseArpayo
    an if Arpaio gets in the way...THROW HIM IN JAIL TOO. He is NOT above the law.
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    lol
    tomasah
    pink undies on youre way shurrif!!!lol..
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    Pink Underwear
    DistgustingLee
    Why cant I get this vision of Sheriff Joe wearing pink underwear out of my head? Ugh
  • Reply Abuse Vote
    Aren't Sheriff's Officers of the Court?
    Lihom
    Cut to the chase: This deputy took a paper from a courtroom table and made a copy of it without permission. That should call for a termination. If the deputy had concerns about the contents of the paper he can inform the judge, who can view the paper and determine the validity of the deputy's concerns. It is about procedure. As right as Sheriff Joe is on so many things, here he appears to be doing the wrong thing for the right reason.
  • Read More Comments