They rifle through the papers, they do not read them. I guess one could put contraband, which is the example you give, under the rubric of “security” but really has nothing to do with the security of the building or courtroom. They, the DO’s, also have the opportunity to search the prisoner multiple times before he leaves for lock-up. This was after all a sentencing hearing.

What you have to look at are the claims of the Deputy and that he violated attorney-client privelege.

I did look up Sheriff Joe’s tally and it was about $45 million in lost lawsuits so far. Unfortunately, that info does not break out the legal cost or increased insurance premiums, if they are even in that number. It isn’t the cost per Maricopa County citizen but how he rates to similar jurisdictions. He came out poorly, not the worst. My bad for the exaggeration, but I like the sound of it versus “toughest”. I can’t give you a single link summary, you have to do multiple searches through jurisdictions. LA County does come out far worse, but I wouldn’t be too happy given the state of LA County. It was bad 40 years ago in crime and police corruption, when Phoenix wasn’t.

As for the DOJ, Arpaio can easily walk a line that keeps him out of the Feds hands, he was a Fed himself. But that doesn’t make him incorrupt, just careful. However, this post of Coyote’s was more about the corruption of going after political opponents with spurious, even frivolous charges, which haven’t stuck so far as they keep getting thrown out of court. Wilcox may be one that will stick. You do have to understand that Arpaio/Thomas use the tactic called “dirtying” as a matter of course.

I understand that I do not have all the facts because my knowledge is limited to what I read in the news and blogs. But your statement: “I would note that “security” does not have to do with lawyer’s documents, notes, or the words on them, but with weapons or other dangerous devices” does not accurately reflect the facts of the matter at issue and is potentially in error anyway.

According to a partial transcript of the contempt hearing (which was posted on several blogs) the Detention Officer’s position was that he initially thought the document was evidence of a crime and after he read the document he thought it was evidence of a security risk. Because the document has not been made public there is no way to judge the validity of the latter assertion, and is also a basis for the pending appeal.

Recently a lawyer in Maricopa County was arrested because he allegedly hid drugs in a pad that was given to an inmate. (Some people argue he was framed.) The point being that the documents can hold small items that do not belong in the jails. Also, attorney Lynne Stewart was convicted of being a conduit for messages in and out of prison (not Maricopa County). So, it would appear to me that the potential risks go beyond weapons or devices. A hypothetical example (which is very close to the facts on which Ms. Stewart was convicted): a lawyer’s notes include information from a gang leader instructing members about their illegal acts.

As to whether the blogger made a poor choice of words: Certainly the word “steal” was such. But the Sheriff was not the actor in this instance and I do not believe the blogger did not know that. He did the same thing with respect to another link in the same post (the one alleging the Sheriff arrested people only because they disagree with him). The Sheriff did not make those arrests and I think I made a comment to that effect when the original item was posted.

“By the way, Arpaio’s Dept. has lost so many civil rights and excessive force, as well as wrongful death, lawsuits that the “Toughest Sheriff” is also the most costly.”

On other blogs I have asked for information to confirm similar statements, but none was forthcoming. Some time ago, on this blog there was a total cost of all the lawsuits. I calculated (and posted) that it came to only a few dollars per citizen per year. That doesn’t sound like a lot to me. Can you provide information to support your claim?

Finally, as I have posted elsewhere (and perhaps here): maybe the Sheriff has broken the law, I don’t know. But he and his office have been under investigation by the DOJ for close to a year with no charges filed, so I assume not much has turned up. (And civil rights groups have been “investigating” for several years, so I assume they have turned over to the DOJ their findings.)

I voted for Arpaio twice, then realized he was dangerous in his own right. This current circus instigated by Arpaio and Thomas has left Maricopa County renamed Marikafka County and rightly so. I have no doubt there is corruption in the County Admin, but there is certainly corruption in the County Sheriff’s Dept and Prosecutor’s Office given that it is so blatantly on display.

By the way, Arpaio’s Dept. has lost so many civil rights and excessive force, as well as wrongful death, lawsuits that the “Toughest Sheriff” is also the most costly.

Andy & Joe went all in here, but they may have reason, but little suggests they’re right. This Wilcox woman is definitely a problem, but extent unknown (at this time).

I think Sheriff Joe wants to be king.

As to your statement about the Sheriff being responsible for his underlings: that does not make the statement that the Sheriff was stealing documents accurate or true. (For what it is worth, I doubt the documents were stolen, because the Detention Officer probably did not have the requisite mental state. Recognizing you are a stickler, my source for the legal authority is “Legally Blonde.”)

Finally, normally I would not respond to someone who uses such a juvenile and nasty tone. But in this instance I did because some readers of this blog might not know what the Sheriff looks like, so for them, the video would not have been sufficient to show that the blogger was wrong.

And how can anyone take YOU seriously when you make a counterclaim without any supporting information…?

AAAANNNKKKK. Thanks for playing.

Do you actually have any validly relevant source for this claim (and NO, a source which says it was “a deputy” is not a valid support for the claim — the Sheriff is directly responsible for the actions of his deputies, and if a deputy did this without his approval, said deputy should be cashiered and blackballed… has this been done? I suspect not even if that IS the claim)…?

Well, if you have this, then by all means, cough it up. Otherwise, you’re just a mindless naysaying idiot.

Apaio and Thomas have been pursuing a number of corruption probes against their bosses in the County governmentr…

Arpaio’s bosses are the people who elected him, not anyone in County government.

So the question is: what will his real bosses do?