Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put on hold his criminal trial that began a week ago.
His lawyers say in a court filing made public Monday that the trial should be stopped because Arpaio is being denied the right to have a jury decide whether he's guilty of a contempt-of-court charge.
As it now stands, a federal judge will decide if he's guilty of the charge for disobeying a 2011 court order to stop immigration patrols.
Attorney Mike Black, who isn't involved in Arpaio's case, says the former sheriff has zero chance of persuading the nation's highest court to stop the trial on a misdemeanor charge.
Arpaio has acknowledged prolonging the patrols, but insists his disobedience was unintentional.
