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Arpaio plans to appeal 1st punishments in contempt case

Posted at 6:55 AM, Sep 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-16 09:55:12-04

Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans to appeal the first round of punishments issued over his decision to prolong his immigration patrols months after a judge in a racial profiling case had ordered them stopped.

The lawman filed court papers Thursday saying he intended on appealing a July 20 court order that requires an overhaul of sheriff's internal affairs investigations.

The judge found Arpaio's internal investigations into officer misconduct were fraught with biased decision-making and had been manipulated to shield sheriff's officials from accountability.

The punishments were handed down after a judge found the sheriff in civil contempt-of-court for ignoring the immigration patrol order.

Federal prosecutors are mulling whether to bring a criminal contempt case against Arpaio that could expose him to jail time.

Arpaio says his contempt violations weren't intentional.