Criminal Law

Joe Arpaio's High School "Murder/Suicide Plot" Suspect Released to Her Parents

The 16-year-old girl who had a plan that Sheriff Joe Arpaio declared "almost meets the profile of what happened in [Newtown], Connecticut" has been released from custody. Maricopa County Superior Court spokesman Vincent Funari tells New Times that a judge ordered the girl to be released on an electr ... More >>

Allan Sobol: Arizona's Medical-Pot Martyr?

Money Pit: Andy Thomas’ Death-Penalty-Laden Years as Maricopa County Attorney

Joe Arpaio Set to Deliver "Birther" Christmas Today, Rumor Mill Claims Evidence of "Criminal Offenses"

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's playing Santa Claus for the "birther" crowd today, as he's delivering the "preliminary findings" of his Cold Case Posse's "investigation" into President Obama's eligibility.MCSO spokesman Jeff Sprong says it's unknown how many media members will be in attendance ... More >>

Brian Weymouth Lawsuit of the Day: This One Against The State Liquor Department and Company

We are loathe to spend much more time on the legal doings of Paradise Valley businessman Brian Weymouth, at least until things move forward in the pending major felony criminal case against him.   ​Hell, we just published a cover story on the guy, describing how he alleg ... More >>

Feds Target Property Owners of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in California

The feds launched a new assault in their fight against medical marijuana today, threatening to seize the property of California medical marijuana dispensaries unless they close within 45 days.If there's no push-back from the states that have legalized weed for qualified patients, including Arizona, ... More >>

Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice Release New Report on Sentencing Reform

Governor Jan Brewer​Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice (AACJ) held a press conference this morning to announce the release of a report highlighting the need for sentencing reform. The study, conducted by Judith Greene of Justice Strategies, notes that the state's criminal justice policies hav ... More >>

Don Stapley Sues Maricopa County, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and County Attorney Andrew Thomas

  ​Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley filed a precursor to a lawsuit today against the county and various elected officials -- including himself -- for alleged malicious prosecution and other grievances. He wants $5 million for his troubles. The notice of claim was fil ... More >>

County Attorney Andrew Thomas Fooled Us Twice With So-Called "Independent" Prosecutors — Shouldn't That Be Enough?

Ruth McGregor Assigns Special Prosecutors Issue to Yuma Judge; County Answers Andrew Thomas' Belatedly Served Court Complaint

  Image: Yuma County Judge Andrew Gould, you've just entered the Twilight Zone...​A couple more turns of the screw to report this morning on the county front: 1. Former Arizona Chief Justice Ruth McGregor -- a retiree who just returned from an out-of-country trip -- ruled that a ... More >>

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas Believes "Invisible Network" Is Thwarting Him

Andrew Thomas is sounding just a wee bit paranoid these days ...​Someone call a shrink, stat!That was our thought after reading Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas' revealing interview with the Arizona Republic over the weekend. Thomas was apparently giving the daily of record his first c ... More >>

Suicidal Tendencies: The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections Is a Bloody Mess

Racketeering Lawsuit Against County by Thomas and Arpaio is Weak Conspiracy Theory

The first reason why the racketeering lawsuit filed today against county leaders is probably going nowhere: It's being handled by Lisa Aubuchon, the deputy county attorney who has consistently blown politically sensitive cases for Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Under Aubuchon's leadership, ... More >>

Serving Up Stapley: Why’s the Don Stapley Prosecution a Big Joke? Because the Accusers Are Far Shadier Than the Accused

Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas: They're All About the Perp Walk

Sheriff's Computer Seizure Hearing Day Two: Judge Wants to Wrap Up by 4:30

2:40 p.m. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Heilman says he wants to wrap this up by 4:30 today. Steve Wetzl takes the stand... Chief Information Officer for Maricopa County. Wetzl says he heard from the sheriff's office this week and was told the agency was taking control of the ICJI ... More >>

County Attorney Wants Second Liberian Boy Charged as Adult in Rape of Little Girl

County Attorney Andrew Thomas​The Maricopa County Attorney's Office wants to charge a second teen attacker as an adult in the sexual assault of an 8-year-old Liberian girl.Last month, police say the 8-year-old was sexually assaulted by four Liberian boys -- ages 9, 10, 13, and 14. After the ... More >>

Cyberbullying Happy Hour presented by the Arizona Region of the Anti-Defamation League @ Doc's Place

Courtney Bisbee and County Pettifogger Gerald R. Grant

Courtney Bisbee with her daughter Taylor Lee, from whom she's been separated since 2005. How do deputy prosecutors sleep at night, when they are charged by their elected bosses to rack up as many warm bodies in prison as possible, to overlook exculpatory evidence, to cull only those facts from ... More >>

Hot Links: Video Interview of 8-year-old Slaying Suspect Released by Cops; Four Million May Attend Obama's Inauguration; Credit Market Still

By Ray Stern In a police interview tape, the 8-year-old boy suspected of killing two in St. Johns sticks to his story that he came home and found the bodies. But police have already said the boy confessed to the crime, meaning his words in this video are just another example of his methodical plann ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Ignores Evidence That Courtney Bisbee Was Wrongly Convicted of Child Molestation As Supporters Work to Free Her

Dennis the Menace

Arpaio's lawyer can't explain away his fudged résumé

The Bulgarian Job

An immigrant wills his estate to a convicted killer from his homeland and dies the next day. Anything smell fishy?

An "F" for Effort

Sandra Dowling left a huge mess. Now she's trying to stop the cleanup

Juvenile Offenses

A federal investigation documents serious abuses at the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections

Eyes Wide Shut

From Governor Janet Napolitano down, Arizona authorities have protected polygamous sexual predators with their indifference

Criminal With an Asterisk

Has ex-governor J. Fife Symington III gotten his just desserts?

Dangerous Minds

An alleged rape at a county psych ward has Maricopa County acting like a schizophrenic

The Kids Are Not All Right

Letters from the week of August 8, 2002

Insufficient Notice

Drastic cuts show the state's Clemency Board no mercy

Sins of the Fathers

Letters from the week of May 2, 2002

Letters

From the week of December 27, 2001

Letters

From the week of July 12, 2001

Welcome to the Hotel Arizona

Check-out time is age 18

The Truck Stops Here

Pickup owner driven to distraction by vehicle forfeiture snafu

Chemistry Decree

Local distributor of "party drug" ingredient held on $5 million bail in biggest GHB bust in U.S. history

Feds Will Retry Symington on Criminal Counts, Sources Say

The Strong Arm of the Law

Police go to great lengths -- including civil injunctions -- to combat gangs. The jury is out on their effectiveness

Murphy's Law

Year after year, Murphy school district officials watched their students die in a hail of violence. They decided to take matters into their own hands.

Flashes

Doctors Seldom Face Prosecution

Fife's History

It took years, and some luck, to unravel Symington's web of deceit

Sugar Mommy

Martha Symington's lawyer tells jury of governor's profligacy

DPS: Department of Political Safety

The state police force is riven with dissent over the governor's politicization of the department. Leading the list of complaints are rapid advancement of unqualified Symington cronies, the governor's misuse of the DPS plane, and scarce resources for crim

Reeling and Dealing

"Suge" Knight is behind bars, Tha Doggfather is on the shelves, and the future of Death Row Records hangs in the balance

It's My Courtroom, and I'll Try Like I Want To

His daughter is a gubernatorial confidante. His appointment raised questions of cronyism. But it was Judge Ramon Alvarez's strange behavior in the courtroom that made him a target of misconduct allegations.

Take Two Bottles of These. Call Me When You're Dead

Dr. Willard Hunter's repeated misprescription of dangerous drugs has contributed to two deaths. But the state medical board doesn't see any reason to revoke his doctor's license.

THE FAMILY TRAP

UNDER ITS "REUNIFICATION-FIRST" POSICY, THE STATE OF ARIZONA ROUTINELY FORCES CHILDREN TO LIVE WITH PARENTS WHO ARE UNFIT GUARDIANS BY ANY DEFINITION

TALE OF THE TAPE

CARERAS CAPTURED THE JAILHOUSE SCUFFLE THAT LEFT A PHOENIX MAN WITH EIGHT BROKEN RIBS. NOW THAT HE'S SUING, THE TAPE HAS DISAPPEARED.

ONE BRUTAL NIGHT IN WEST PHOENIX

WHEN IT WAS OVER, PHOENIX COP JOE PEREZ ADMITTED HE'D DONE WRONG. LOOK WHERE IT GOT HIM.