Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio refuses to comply with a court order that he restore his jails’ former visitation hours for members of the legal community by today.
Instead, his attorneys will file a motion in the state Court of Appeals requesting that County Superior Court Judge Anna Baca’s order be reconsidered and made temporarily ineffective, said deputy chief Jack MacIntyre. On Wednesday, Baca denied that same request.
Last Friday, Baca ruled that the sheriff violated defendants’ constitutional rights by changing the hours, because the new jail hours — 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — restricted defense attorneys’ access to their clients. The change was an attempt to curb overtime spending — “not an allowable basis” for limiting defendants’ access to counsel, Baca ruled.
MacIntyre said the sheriff’s office believes Baca exceeded her authority in her ruling.
“Neither the court nor the public defender’s office has been elected Sheriff of Maricopa County, last time I looked,” MacIntyre said.
