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Rise in Police Violence in Phoenix

The crime rate in Phoenix has declined steadily since the 1990’s, although there has been a bit of an uptick in the past few years. The rate is more or less on a par with other cities and with the nation as a whole. Nevertheless, the police say that assaults against police officers are on […]

Mesa Police Brutality Caught on Video . . . Again!

It’s been a stormy couple of months at the Mesa, Arizona Police Department. It wasn’t a single incident that is fueling concerns about the culture of the PD. Rather, there have been a series of beatings and misconduct on the part of police officers, much of it caught on video, that has the public outraged […]

Flawed Forensic Science – Brought to you by the FBI

We’ve all seen trials, mostly on TV but some of us – trial attorneys in particular – have seen real criminal cases being tried in front of real juries. And in lots of those cases, the evidence presented on behalf of the state consists of “experts” in one or another area of forensic science. There […]

Arpaio’s Phoenix Posse Groups to be Reviewed

The “posse program” launched by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio is under investigation by Arpaio’s successor, Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone. Arpaio, convicted of criminal contempt for willful refusal to comply with a federal court order – and later pardoned by President Trump – said he formed the posses to protect citizens and free up sheriff’s […]

Flagstaff Cop Punches Woman – Video Goes Viral

A woman who was not subject to arrest was punched in the face by a Flagstaff police officer. She was then arrested for resisting arrest. Sound strange? Here’s what happened. Officer Jeff Bonar says he was called in mid-November to assist in the eviction of a tenant. A deputy from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office […]

Body Cam Policies Ignored by Phoenix Cops

You’ve heard about the use of body cams for police officers. The idea behind them is to give the public a better picture of what the police do through actual footage of stops, arrests and other police actions. This is intended to provide more openness and transparency, and ultimately, to build more trust in the […]

Death Row Inmate Gets Another Chance . . . Maybe

An appeals court has directed that a man convicted of a 1990 sexual assault and murder receive a new hearing to determine whether police misconduct may have tainted the conviction. A number of arguments were made by death row inmate Michael Gallegos in his habeas corpus hearing before a panel of the 9th U. S. […]

Preventing Officer-Involved Shootings in Phoenix

The issue of officer-involved shootings is in the forefront of the news in many cities these days, including Phoenix. Some say the statistics show that (a) our city has a relatively high per capita rate of shootings by police, and (b) to make matters worse, Latinos and blacks are shot in Phoenix at a rate […]

Days of testimony by Joe Arpaio in pending contempt of court case

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been on the witness stand for days.  He’s testifying in his contempt of court case. Arpaio, as well as five former or current aides, have been charged with violating three orders entered by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow. Back in 2007, a federal lawsuit alleged that Arpaio […]