Bill Montgomery

Arizona's 20-Week Abortion Ban Is Unconstitutional, Says Federal Appeals Court

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says Arizona's law banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy is unconstitutional, citing just about every Supreme Court case on the subject since Roe v. Wade."The 20-week law is [an] unconstitutional under an unbroken stream of Supreme Court authority, begin ... More >>

Joe Arpaio, Bill Montgomery Lose Again: Undocumented Worker Found "Not Guilty"

Miguel Angel Morales was not supposed win Wednesday in Maricopa County Superior Court. Charged with ID theft and forgery after he was arrested in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's raid on Glendale's United Construction in September, Morales has spent more than six months in Arpaio's notorious jails, refusing t ... More >>

Black Leaders in Phoenix Struggle to Retain Power in a District They've Historically Controlled

Marijuana and Driving: AZ Supreme Court Asked to Review Recent Appellate Decision Upholding Zero-Tolerance Law

The Arizona Supreme Court has been asked to review a precedent-setting state Court of Appeals ruling that upholds the state's law against marijuana in a motorist's bloodstream. The appellate court ruled last month that the State Legislature intended to criminalize the presence of any metabolite of ... More >>

Arizona's Latest Advertised "Ban" on Bath Salts and Spice Passes Senate

It seems like if the Legislature were to "ban" something, it wouldn't have to keep passing bills session after session to "ban" that same thing.Yet, here we are again, more than a year after Governor Jan Brewer claimed she outlawed the sale and use of the substances known as "bath salts," and two ye ... More >>

Jodi Arias Vs. Gavin Macfarlane: Tale of Two Death Penalty Cases

Something's wrong with Jodi Arias, that much anyone can tell. Her lack of emotion combined with the brutality of her crime -- stabbing, slashing and shooting her victim -- have led some to call her a sociopath, or psychopath. Not that most people could give a medical definition of the terms. But by ... More >>

Bill Montgomery Fails to Convict an Innocent Man

Medical-Marijuana "Vapor Lounge" in West Valley Allows Patients to Toke Up, Rent Bongs and Hang Out

A group of medical-marijuana dispensary owners at the State Capital yesterday afternoon urged authorities to shut down unregulated cannabis clubs. Meanwhile, up the road in a small, west Valley strip mall, medical-marijuana patients toked up openly in a "lounge" that has the look, feel, and scent o ... More >>

Arizona's Top Ten News Stories of 2012

All in all, 2012 hasn't been that bad of a year. Some good stuff transpired, and some of it happened because New Times' scribes made it happen. Usually to some very deserving recipients. The great H.L. Mencken said it long ago, and it still holds true today: "Journalism is to politician as dog is t ... More >>

Tom Horne May Triumph in Court, but Don't Count on a Win on Election Day

Qui Truong's Going to Prison for Quite a Bit for Attacking Co-Workers With a Meat Cleaver

Today, we can all say we learned that attacking your co-workers with a meat cleaver could land you in prison for a very long time.For Qui Tu Truong, a former employee of a Phoenix market, that means consecutive prison sentences of 21 years and 15 years.See also:-Meat Cleaver Maniac Made Murderous Th ... More >>

Bill Montgomery Joins in on Useless Demand for Kyrsten Sinema's Client List as an Attorney

Over the past couple of weeks, the Arizona Republican Party, supporting Republican congressional candidate Vernon Parker, has demanded that Parker's Democratic opponent, Kyrsten Sinema, release a list of her clients as a criminal-defense attorney.The odds of that happening are pretty close to zero, ... More >>

Tom Horne's Court Date Set for Friday on Hit-and-Run Charge

I'll say one thing for living in Sand Land, it's never boring. This Friday at 9:30 a.m., in Phoenix Municipal Court, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne could be arraigned on the charge of hit-and-run on an unattended vehicle, a class 3 misdemeanor. I say "could be" because Don Taylor a spokesman fo ... More >>

Medical-Marijuana Tincture Makers Sue State Over Definition of "Cannabis"

The makers of marijuana-infused "Soccer Mom's Tinctures & Candy" are suing the state in hopes of clarifying what "cannabis" means under the law. Back in March, cops raided the Phoenix home of Doug Arfa and Charise Voss on suspicion that the pair was selling "narcotic" drugs, a search warrant shows. ... More >>

Zonka Bar Bust: Arizona's Anti-Pot Zealots Throw Medical-Marijuana Entrepreneurs in Jail

Chris Martin had an idea for a business in Arizona, where voters passed a law that legalizes medical-marijuana "edibles" under certain conditions. Last year, the Zonka Bar was born: Available in chocolate, sugar-free peanut butter and other flavors, and infused with marijuana extract. Like other ed ... More >>

Rick Santorum's in Town for a Black-Tie Anti-Abortion Gala (of Course)

There's really only one type of event in which former Senator/failed GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum would be the keynote speaker -- an anti-abortion gala.Santorum's slated to be at the Phoenix Convention Center tonight for the annual Arizona Right to Life benefit gala, cocktail attire requ ... More >>

The Feds Proved Themselves a Cage of Cowardly Lions in the Arpaio Investigation

Jhessye Shockley's Mother Jerice Hunter Arrested for Girl's Murder

The Glendale Police Department has just announced that Jerice Hunter, the mother of missing and presumed dead 5-year-old Jhessye Shockley, was arrested for the murder of her daughter.Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said Hunter's charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.

No Charges for Arpaio: U.S. Closes Criminal Investigation of Maricopa Sheriff and Former County Attorney Andrew Thomas

See also: Investigating Joe Arpaio The U.S. Attorney's Office announced today that it has closed its investigation into criminal conduct by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas with no charges against either man. The announcement came after 5 p.m. o ... More >>

Allan Sobol: Arizona's Medical-Pot Martyr?

Tom Horne: Arizona Medical Marijuana Act Preempted by Federal Law, in Part; Cardholders OK, Dispensaries Could be Nixed by Court

See also: Medical Marijuana Dispensary Lottery Coming Tuesday, and Will Be Streamed Live Online Arizona should not authorize medical-marijuana dispensaries as voters intended because they are against state law, says state Attorney General Tom Horne. But the state's 2010 medical-marijuana law isn' ... More >>

Sheila Polk's Letter to Brewer Misstates AZ U.S. Attorney's Position on Medical Marijuana

See also:Bill Montgomery and Sheila Polk Probed Whether Prop 203 was Constitutional See also: Judge Orders Arizona to Implement Medical Marijuana Act, Tosses Out Four Rules for Dispensary Applicants Is the new Arizona U.S. Attorney, John Leonardo, going to shut down medical marijuana dispensaries ... More >>

Arizona Congressman David Schweikert Falsely Claims Illegal Immigrants Are No Longer Afraid

See Also: Obama's 287(g) Move Bogus, Activists Call on Feds to Cut Ties with ArizonSee Also: Bill Montgomery Blames Obama's 287(g) Move for Attack on Phoenix Cop Arizona Congressman David Schweikert is taking a jab at the Obama administration for its decision to scrap part of a federa ... More >>

Cathi Herrod Got This Many People to Listen to Her and the Religulous Gang Complain About Contraception

Phoenix's more religulous politicians and individuals gathered outside the Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Building in Phoenix today to complain about a real burning issue -- women not getting pregnant.

Mary Rose Wilcox Granted $975,000 Judgment by Federal Judge; Sidesteps County Efforts to Check Payment

U.S. District Court Judge Neil Wake's final order in the proposed settlement by Maricopa County to Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox: Pay the woman.In an order on Friday, Wake granted Wilcox's motion to enforce the settlement order, stating that Wilcox "shall have judgment" in the amount agreed, plus an a ... More >>

Do You Think There Was a "Reasonable Belief" of Convicting Mark Mitchell?

Yesterday, we brought you the letter from Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, explaining to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery why no charges will be filed against Tempe Mayor-elect Mark Mitchell.Aside from the "absence of a reasonable belief of probable conviction," Polk also notes Mitchell ... More >>

Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk: No "Reasonable Belief" of Convicting Mark Mitchell

We got a copy of the letter from Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, explaining to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery why no charges will be filed against Tempe Mayor-elect Mark Mitchell.Aside from the "absence of a reasonable belief of probable conviction," Polk also notes Mitchell's age at ... More >>

Hash, Kief, Tinctures and Other Concentrates of Marijuana Might Not be Legal Under Medical-Marijuana Law

One thing to add about our blog post today on the raid of Arizona Cannabis Society:Phoenix police say they intend to submit charges on some of the people involved, including charges related to the production of concentrated marijuana.That brings up the thorny question of whether such concentrates ar ... More >>

Maria Brandon, Fired Maricopa Civil Attorney, Says County Retaliated Against Her for Defending Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Maricopa County leaders retaliated against a county civil attorney for providing Sheriff Joe Arpaio legal help and for voicing her opinion to a newspaper, the woman claims in a lawsuit.Maria Brandon, a veteran deputy county attorney until her termination in June of 2011, says that her civil rig ... More >>

Joe Arpaio on Blast by Citizens for a Better Arizona in New Video

CBA demands accountability of Arpaio in the latest video by Dennis Gilman A point some local journos missed concerning the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors' recent hearing on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's various misdeeds was that the special meeting, which addressed Arpaio's racial profiling and his bun ... More >>

Fiesta Bowl Fiasco: County Attorney Bill Montgomery to Announce Findings of Investigation Into Elected Officials

​Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is holding a press conference this morning to announce the findings of an eight-month investigation into elected officials who received gifts from the allegedly corrupt Fiesta Bowl organization.It's unclear what Montgomery will announce -- the Arizona Repu ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Jails Off Limits to Federal Immigration Detainees, John Morton Tells Bill Montgomery

ICE honcho John Morton, back when the two guys to the left were still in office...In case Sheriff Joe Arpaio missed the gist of the fiat handed down Thursday by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano ending Arpaio's 287(g) jails agreement, John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigrati ... More >>

County Attorney Bill Montgomery to Head Governor's Child Safety Task Force to Fix Mess at CPS

County Attorney Bill Montgomery and other child welfare experts have been pegged with the task of figuring out how to fix Child Protective Services. ​Arizona Governor Jan Brewer announced today the members of a task force she's organized to review the state's child-safety policies following a rece ... More >>

Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau Guilty on All Murder Counts; Faces Death Penalty. Sentencing Hearing Scheduled For Wednesday

Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau faces the death penalty after getting convicted of nine counts of murder.​After a five-month trial, and seven days of jury deliberation, Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau has been convicted of all nine of the murder charges against him.Goudeau faced 72 felony counts s ... More >>

John Gillis, Veteran Victims' Advocate, Joins Maricopa County Attorney's Office; Former Justice Department Official's Daughter was Murdered in '79

John Gillis -- veteran Los Angeles cop, former U.S. Department of Justice official and champion for the rights of crime victims -- will be helping out Valley victims for a while.Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has hired Gillis to serve as the chief of the agency's victim services division. ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Is Under Attack in Arizona Again -- But This Time, Voters and Patients Hold the High Ground

MCSO Confirms Arrests of Three Sheriff's Deputies With Ties to Drug and Human Smuggling

Another apparent black eye for Joe Arpaio and the MCSO.​Our sources, it appears, were correct.The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office just confirmed that three sheriff's deputies have been arrested in connection with a drug and human smuggling operation.Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County A ... More >>

Daniel Gukeisen, Ex-Attorney Who Fatally Stabbed ASU Student, Sentenced to Five Years in the Joint

Daniel Gukeisen​Daniel Gukeisen, a former attorney who was convicted of fatally stabbing Arizona State University student Garrett Hohn, was sentenced to five years in prison this morning after being found guilty of manslaughter last month.He actually showed up for court this time.When the verdict ... More >>

Under Mark Spencer's Leadership, the Phoenix Police Union Has Become an Anti-Immigrant Juggernaut, to the Detriment of Its Members

KPHO Cops the PLEA Line on a Report Swiped From Another Police Union, Flubbing the Story in the Process

Mark Spencer's Spin Machine, and KPHO's Flubbed Segment on Police Supes

KPHOThe "him" in "Fire him" is Mark Spencer, not Jack Harris... I have praised Channel 5/KPHO's reporters and producers in the past. I consider them colleagues. Not necessarily drinking-buddies. (Yet.) But I have fun chatting with them when I see them in the midst of the media scrum.Still, ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Set To Concede, Sources Claim; Will Make Statement This Afternoon

Thomas, ready to say bye-bye?The end is apparently at hand for former County Attorney Andrew Thomas.Sources within the campaign of state Schools Superintendent Tom Horne, Thomas' rival in the GOP primary for state Attorney General, have told me that they expect Thomas to concede today.As if to confi ... More >>

Andy Thomas and Joe Arpaio and David Hendershott and Lisa Aubuchon--Dangerous Liaisons

What happened when a shamelessly ambitious zealot (Andrew Peyton Thomas, a timelessly paranoid publicity-seeker (Joe Arpaio), a meglomaniac with a heart of coal (David Hendershott), and a person whose interpretation of the rule of law differs from ours (Lisa Aubuchon) conspire to violate their oaths ... More >>

Rick Romley Takes High Road in Latest Spat With Joe Arpaio. Latest Clash: an Arpaio "Campaign Ad"

America's self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff" seems a little scared of County Attorney Rick Romley​Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio isn't up for re-election this year -- or next year. As far as we know he's not planning on running for county attorney, either. But that's not stopping him from runn ... More >>

Boyd Dunn Bails on County Attorney's Race -- and the Republic Actually Wrote About It

Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn ended his campaign for Maricopa County Attorney this morning​Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn announced this morning that he's pulling the plug on his campaign to become the next Maricopa County Attorney -- news from the county attorney's race that's apparently Arizona Repub ... More >>

Joe Arpaio To Live Stream the Bull Every Wednesday at 1:30 P.M.

I'm gonna be famous, ma. I'm gonna be on da Internets...The MCSO's highly-paid PR apparatchiks have just sent out an announcement on the one guy who seems to get more publicity than neo-Nazi J.T. Ready these days.I'm talking, of course, about our own geriatric, Mr. Magoo-esque gendarme, Sh ... More >>

May 3 In Blogs: Al Sharpton, Conan O'Brien, Marcellino Ristorante, and Joe Arpaio

​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: Padres' Adrian Gonzalez, Mets' Rod Barajas, MLB Players Association Blast Arizona ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Neo-Nazi Supporters Surface for Bill Montgomery Event, and Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris Slams SB 1070

JT Ready & pals try to give Joe Arpaio and Bill Montgomery some Nazi love in Phoenix today As most of you have no-doubt heard, there's strong speculation that Sheriff Joe Arpaio will announce his run for Arizona Governor on Monday. Personally, I hope he does run. He'll have to resign to d ... More >>

Rick Romley to Replace Andrew Thomas as New Maricopa County Attorney

Rick Romley, the old (and now new) county attorney.​We called that one.As New Times' Paul Rubin predicted last week, former County Attorney Rick Romley got the nod from the board of supervisors today to replace Andrew Thomas in his old job. Thomas, of course, resigned earlier this month to run for ... More >>

Phoenix Auto Thefts Down 33 Percent

www.mobilesyrup.com​If you're like many of us and missed the federal government's generous "Cash for Clunkers" deadline, you may have been hoping someone would steal your dumpy old Chrysler so you can collect a little insurance money. In the past, parking your car in certain Phoe ... More >>