Sheriff Joe Arpaio Set to Testify in Discrimination Case Against Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department
Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff in America,” is known for his tough stance on illegal immigration. Today, Arpaio is set to testify in a class action racial discrimination lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department.
The suit, which was filed by the ACLU and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, claims that Arpaio and his deputies racially profiled Latinos in an attempt to root out illegal immigrants. It does not seek money, but wants Arpaio to agree to an outside monitor and admit that he engaged in a pattern of discrimination.
The suit alleges “that he assigned multiple deputies to these Latino neighborhoods, based not on actual crime stats, but racially-motivated citizen complaints in these areas.”
La Jeunesse commented, “For many, they believe that probably over his lengthy career, he’s probably said some things that could damage his case.”
La Jeunesse concluded, “People in Arizona they love or hate this guy. But definitely, the financial stakes for the county are very high.”
