Arizona court officers help themselves to defense documents

[Don]

Story here (http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner~y2009m11d3-Arizona-court-officers-help-themselves-to-defense-documents). You should watch the video; the behavior was blatant.

Arizona Defense Attorney Joanne Cuccia was in court at the podium arguing on behalf of her client during a sentencing hearing when that client, Antonio Lozano, noticed two detention officers pilfering a document from Cuccia's fies behind her back. The incident, captured on video, interrupted the hearing, enraged defense attorneys and, unbelievably, spurred the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office to defend the officers' actions (http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2009/10/30/20091030deputysnooping103009-CR.html).

The judge has demanded a formal apology or the officer will be held in contempt of court. Apparently Sheriff Joe Arpaio has told his officer if he apologizes he'll be fired. The judge and the sheriff are squaring off.

My question runs deeper, though. The judge demanded only an apology for this blatant theft of documents in front of everybody, but behind the attorney's back. What would have happened to a defense attorney who stole documents from the prosecutor's table? Would it stop at a demanded apology?

[Diana Hignutt]

Story here (http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner~y2009m11d3-Arizona-court-officers-help-themselves-to-defense-documents). You should watch the video; the behavior was blatant.

The judge has demanded a formal apology or the officer will be held in contempt of court. Apparently Sheriff Joe Arpaio has told his officer if he apologizes he'll be fired. The judge and the sheriff are squaring off.

My question runs deeper, though. The judge demanded only an apology for this blatant theft of documents in front of everybody, but behind the attorney's back. What would have happened to a defense attorney who stole documents from the prosecutor's table? Would it stop at a demanded apology?

While, we're making demands: I demand this off-f-er's job, and a dash of jail time, contempt of court and all, and let's drop the sheriff in the pokey too.

[clintl]

Sheriff Arpaio is pretty much the poster boy for the corrupt local sheriff these days. He definitely belongs in the pokey.

[clintl]

I read the officer's defense of his action. If you're screening for contraband or weapons, you don't make copies. There's no conclusion that can be reasonably reached other than that Sheriff's Department is telling a bald-faced lie.

[Don]

Nice that you and I finally agree on something, clint. :)

[Diana Hignutt]

Nice that you and I finally agree on something, clint. :)

There's nothing like political corruption for bringing people together. Now I get it. So, we do need politicians. Who knew?

[clintl]

Nice that you and I finally agree on something, clint. :)

We agree on more than you think. :)