PHOENIX -- A detention officer put in jail for taking paperwork from an attorney's desk in a Phoenix courtroom thanked Sheriff Joe Arpaio for his support now that he's free.
Adam Stoddard also thanked citizens and law enforcement across the country who sent him personal messages during the 10 days he spent in jail.
"I would especially like to thank my fellow officers for speaking out on my behalf," Stoddard said as he was released Thursday. "Your words of encouragment were a source of strength."
Stoddard thanked Arpaio saying, "It was my decision, and my decision alone, to take the stand I did. I thank the Sheriff for giving me that freedom and his full support."
On Thursday morning, The Arizona Court of Appeals released a ruling that grants Stoddard a "interlocutory stay" pending the outcome of an appeal filed by Stoddard's attorney.
The court is expected to consider the appeal on January 5.
Stoddard was found in contempt of court last month for walking up to an attorney's desk in a Phoenix courtroom and removing a document from files sitting on the desk.
A judge had ordered Stoddard to apologize to a Phoenix attorney to avoid jail time, but he refused.
Stoddard then self-surrendered last week and was put in jail.
At an earlier news conference, Sheriff Arpaio said he was happy Stoddard was out.
"He spent 10 days in jail which probably is a no man's land because he hasn't, there's no criminal crime," Arpaio said.
"I can't believe what's happened to my officer," Arpaio said. "I can't believe it. And I'm angry."
Arpaio said Stoddard was not forced to wear pink underwear saying, "I don't think he's a criminal. He hasn't been charged with any criminal crime. Why should he be treated like a criminal?"
Earlier this week, Arpaio called Stoddard a political prisoner.
He also said his office was trying to get a judge to unseal the document so everyone can see what's in inside.
"We feel it is an injustice and we will not tolerate it," said Luis Altamirano with the
Maricopa County Association of Detention Officers.John Solano with MCADO said Stoddard is being punished by the judge in an attempt to attack Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
"This is obviously an attack on the sheriff's office and an attempt to humiliate the sheriff," Solano said.
"He was ethically and morally correct in doing what he did," said Sean Pearce with the
Deputies Law Enforcement Association. "We stand behind him 100 percent."
"For political reasons, he was thrown to the wolves," Arpaio added.
HEAR ME OUT: Does an officer deserve jail for taking lawyer's paperwork?
Before going to jail, Stoddard spoke with the media, clarifying his motivation in the October 19 incident.
I am Maricopa County Detention Officer Adam Stoddard. I work in the Court Security Division of the Sheriff’s Office and have been with the Sheriff’s Office for five years.
Recently, Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe ordered me to hold a press conference to publicly apologize for doing the job I have been trained to do.
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.
It was a split second decision and I do not regret my 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.
The judge therefore puts me in a position where I must lie or go to jail. And I will not lie.
Courtroom video recorded Stoddard's actions during the sentencing of an inmate in October.
In the video, you can see Stoddard walk up behind the public defender and touch her paperwork.
WATCH THE UNCUT SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
About 30 seconds later, Stoddard calls another officer over and takes a piece of paper.
You can hear the public defender, Joanne Cuccia, say in confusion, "Would you excuse me for a moment?"
That's when Cuccia starts defending herself saying all of the paperwork she got from her client was through jail mail.
"I want to know what they took and what's going on," Cuccia says.
Several times, you can hear the judge asking what happened.
"But you don't get to do that," Cuccia says.
Stoddard had until Monday to comply with a judge's orders to make an apology.
Cuccia was at the courthouse Monday night as Stoddard read his statement to the media.
With her attorney, Craig Mehrens at her side, Cuccia expressed her shock that Stoddard didn't apologize for his actions.
"I was surprised," said Cuccia. "We came down here for an apology and we didn't get that, what are going to do?" Cuccia said before she was escorted from the media by Mehrens.
Stoddard was required to report to jail on December 1 unless the conditions set by the judge were met.
In early November, Stoddard explained to a judge why he took the document.
The deputy said four key words on the paperwork made him decide to take it and make copies.
He said the words were 'going to,' 'steal' and 'money.'
The deputy also said he decided to take the paperwork because he hadn't had a chance to search it before the trial.
In a written statement, MCSO officials earlier said their officers have the right to search for contraband.
But the video reveals that the only thing taken was paperwork.
