Appeals court denies Sheriff Joe Arpaio request to remove judge

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has lost an appeal to remove a lower-court judge from a racial-profiling case.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also rejected the sheriff’s request to postpone next week’s contempt-of-court hearings against the 83-year-old lawman.

The sheriff had asked the appeals court to disqualify U.S. District Judge Murray Snow on the argument that the judge created the appearance of bias when he questioned Arpaio about two secret investigations involving the judge that were done on the sheriff’s behalf.

Arpaio has been trying to boot Snow from the case for several months.

In April, Arpaio admitted that his office had been secretly investigating the judge’s family.

Arpaio apologized in court after the confession.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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