Deputy Who Took Lawyer's Paperwork Ordered to Jail
A deputy sheriff’s officer in Maricopa County must report to jail today or a bench warrant will be issued for his arrest.
Maricopa County Superior Court spokeswoman Karen Arra told ABC 15 that Adam Stoddard must report to the jail in downtown Phoenix.
Stoddard had been ordered to hold a public press conference and apologize by Friday to an attorney after he walked up to her desk during an Oct. 19 sentencing hearing and removed a document from her files. Stoddard had refused to apologize and has the backing of his boss, Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Stoddard explained at the time that he was looking for contraband and saw suspicious words on the document, which belonged to public defender Joanne Cuccia.
The incident drew national attention in large part because it was captured on court surveillance video.
On Monday, Stoddard made a public statement in an attempt to clarify his motivations. In his statement, which is published in full by ABC 15, Stoddard says, “Part of my job in providing security to the court is to inspect documents brought into the courtroom. On October 19th, I saw a document that I had not yet screened, and that raised security concerns. I retrieved that document in plain sight and had court personnel copy it to preserve it as evidence in case it was a security breach.”
Stoddard maintains he doesn’t regret his actions: “Judge Donahoe has ordered me to feel something I do not and say something I cannot. I cannot apologize for putting court safety first.”
From the Blawgosphere:
Simple Justice: “Showdown in Maricopa”
Gamso for the Defense: “Phoenix On My Mind”
