Feds Force Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to Cough Up Docs in Title VI Probe
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has finally cooperated with a US government investigation into alleged civil rights abuses, but not before a lengthy court battle.
According to a press release from the US government, the MCSO allowed officials to conduct over 220 interviews and review hundreds of thousands of pages of documents. This came after the government filed a lawsuit against the MCSO in September 2010, citing the MCSO’s refusal to comply with the investigation.
The investigation, led by the Civil Rights Division, is looking into allegations of national origin discrimination, as well as potential violations of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
The MCSO has been accused of failing to cooperate with the investigation, with officials from the Civil Rights Division being denied access to facilities and documents. However, since the lawsuit was filed, the MCSO has reversed course and provided the necessary information.
Under the terms of the agreement, the MCSO will continue to provide the US government with access to sources of information pertinent to the investigation.
“After numerous requests for access to information, the department was forced to resort to litigation to compel the sheriff’s office to provide us with full access to facilities, staff and documents, as required by federal law,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials from the Civil Rights Division working aggressively to review the facts and complete the probe.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs on the ground of race, color, or national origin. Recipients of federal funds, such as the MCSO, are obligated to provide the US government with access to information and facilities pertinent to an investigation under Title VI.
Defendant/respondent: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Exact criminal charges: Title VI Investigation
City and state: Phoenix, Arizona
Exact date: September 2, 2010
Sentence or outcome: Settlement agreement
Dollar amounts: None mentioned
Related Federal Cases
- Everardo Gregorio, Obstruction of Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire, Arizona 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Letitia James, No Title Found, New York 2023 · Illinois
- Adrianne Marta Frazer, Tax Refund Fraud, Arizona 2023 · Florida
- Darius Blackwell, Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, Arizona 2015 · New Mexico
- Verland Anthony Sabori, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Arizona 2016 · District of Columbia
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Public Corruption|Civil Rights Violations
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
