Thread: Prosecutor: Crackdowns (Arpaio's) are on solid legal ground

Prosecutor: Crackdowns are on solid legal ground

Associated Press - April 29, 2008 8:04 PM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - Maricopa County's top prosecutor says Sheriff Joe Arpaio's recent high profile crackdowns in metropolitan Phoenix were legal if his officers followed rules that prohibit racial profiling and unwarranted traffic stops.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, who issued a legal opinion on the subject Tuesday, says that to the best of his knowledge, the rules were followed.

Arpaio has drawn criticism from Latino and immigrant rights advocates who say the sweeps in three heavily Hispanic areas of metropolitan Phoenix during late March and early April were thinly veiled immigration patrols fraught with racial profiling.

The sheriff says his officers didn't racially profile people during the crackdowns in two areas of Phoenix and in the town of Guadalupe. He also says the sweeps were responses to complaints of crime in those areas.

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=8246490

this is good to know from a legal stand point . In our hearts we all knew Sheriff Joe was "Doing" his job .

Good, keep doing your job Sheriff!!




<<RED ALERT "ACTION NEEDED 4/29">>
Battleground: North and South Carolina
Alipac'ers please take action at link below! We need S.C!!
http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-674767.html#674767

what is the matter with these gooney goo goo mayors... are they that neck deep in dung with the business elite that they don't care about the common citizens safety

Go Joe Go... do it legally but get rid of the plague that infects this country (Big Business). The Illegal Aliens need to go as well

Longer version:
Apr 29, 10:54 PM EDT

Prosecutor: Ariz. sheriff's sweeps on solid legal ground

By JACQUES BILLEAUD
Associated Press Writer

PHOENIX (AP) -- Maricopa County's top prosecutor said Tuesday that the sheriff recent high-profile sweeps in metropolitan Phoenix were legal if his officers followed rules prohibiting racial profiling and unwarranted traffic stops.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio has drawn criticism that the sweeps in three heavily Hispanic areas during late March and early April were thinly veiled immigration patrols fraught with racial profiling.

The sweeps led Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon to request a federal investigation of Arpaio for possible civil rights violations. The U.S. Justice Department has declined to comment on the request.

"To the best of my knowledge, the protocol has been followed," said Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, who issued a legal opinion on the sweeps on Tuesday.

While the sheriff has legal authority to enforce laws in the county's cities, the patrols are seen by critics as an intrusion into their communities and an overreaching attempt by a local police agency to confront immigration woes.

A total of 150 people, nearly half of whom were illegal immigrants, were arrested in the raids.

Arpaio said two sweeps in Phoenix were prompted by business owners who complained of crime tied to illegal immigration, while the crackdown in Guadalupe was intended to combat a recent rise in violent crime - though one of his news releases noted that tensions were worsening between residents of the tiny town and illegal immigrants.

Hector Yturralde, president of the Hispanic civil rights group Somos America, said Arpaio turned to a political ally for a favorable opinion. "They go hand in hand," Yturralde said.

The prosecutor and sheriff said politics had nothing to do with the opinion.

"The reason I asked for the opinion two months ago is that we knew we were doing the right thing, and yet I wanted a legal opinion to let the people of this county know that we are also on the right track," Arpaio said.

Thomas said he issued an opinion for Arpaio in 2005 about Arizona's human smuggling law - an opinion that said illegal immigrants suspected of using smugglers can be charged as conspirators in smuggling cases.

He said his interpretation of the law has withstood scrutiny.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ ... SECTION=US

...we knew this all along...but good for the OBL to hear it from the prosecutor.
The OBL is getting desperate.

Arpaio said two sweeps in Phoenix were prompted by business owners who complained of crime tied to illegal immigration, while the crackdown in Guadalupe was intended to combat a recent rise in violent crime - though one of his news releases noted that tensions were worsening between residents of the tiny town and illegal immigrants.

Why wouldn't tensions be worsening? The legal residents are sick and tired of being forced to pay for illegal aliens and their anchors, and their crimes!

Hector Yturralde, president of the Hispanic civil rights group Somos America, said Arpaio turned to a political ally for a favorable opinion. "They go hand in hand," Yturralde said.

Mhmmm, must like you and LaRaza, huh? He turned to an elected official who is the top prosecutor in the county, but then you don't like prosecutors do you, Hector? The truth hurts.

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