Sheriff Arpaio and chief deputy to appear in court Monday
Mar 24, 2014, 5:00 AM | Updated: 5:00 am
PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his chief deputy are heading to court Monday morning.
A federal court judge has ordered them to appear at a status conference on a racial profiling ruling.
Judge G. Murray Snow is concerned that the sheriff’s office may not be complying with his earlier injunction that forbids his officers from racially profiling suspects.
The judge cited a training session that was videotaped before a 2013 crime suppression sweep. In the video, Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan can allegedly be seen telling deputies that the judge’s order is “ludicrous” and “crap.”
Arpaio said he doesn’t know what to expect today.
“Let’s see what happens,” said Arpaio. “I don’t know what’s going on. He just asked me to come there.”
Arpaio insists that isn’t racially profiling suspects, and that he has reached out to the Hispanic community, even during the crime suppression sweeps.
“I stopped two cars myself,” said Arpaio. “I didn’t know who was inside the cars. It was too dark! (It turns out) they were all Hispanics. They saw me and (shouted), ‘Hey, Sheriff! We love you! The next thing (they are having me pose) for pictures with them. That’s kind of an outreach. Two times that happened!”
Meanwhile, Arpaio said his attorneys are appealing the judge’s earlier ruling.
“I promised from day one that we would appeal this case.”
Arpaio said his attorneys filed the paperwork just before the March 14 deadline, and the case is now in the hands of the appellate court.
