PHOENIX (AP) - The Latest on the upcoming criminal contempt-of-court trial for former Sheriff Joe Arpaio (all times local):
4:17 p.m.
Prosecutors have urged a judge to reject former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s request to bar two people illegally detained in his immigration patrols from testifying at his upcoming trial on a criminal contempt-of-court charge.
The U.S. Justice Department says in a court filing Wednesday that the detentions of the two victims after Arpaio was told that such arrests violated a court order are evidence of the lawman’s guilt.
Arpaio is scheduled to be tried April 25 for defying a 2011 court order to stop his patrols and instead allowing them to continue for 17 months.
The judge who issued the order has previously said Arpaio ignored his ruling because he believed continuing his immigration efforts would help his 2012 campaign.
Arpaio has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
3:12 p.m.
Prosecutors are opposing former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s bid to prohibit comments he made about immigration on the campaign trail from being mentioned at his April 25 trial on a criminal contempt-of-court charge.
The U.S. Justice Department says in a court filing Wednesday that Arpaio repeatedly boasted about his immigration enforcement efforts when he thought it was in his best interest.
Arpaio’s attorneys say allowing the comments at trial would be prejudicial and have a chilling effect on protected speech.
He faces the charge for disobeying a court order in a racial profiling case to stop his immigration patrols.
The judge in the profiling case previously said Arpaio ignored the order because he believed continuing his immigration efforts would help his 2012 campaign.
Arpaio has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
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