Joe Arpaio’s legal defense team has lost another attempt to exclude evidence from the former sheriff’s upcoming criminal contempt trial.
At a court hearing in 2015, Arpaio admitted to being in civil contempt for violating the judge’s preliminary injunction.
The court found Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies were still racially profiling motorists against the judge’s order. Arpaio’s previous attorneys thought the admission might prevent a criminal trial — it did not.
Arpaio’s new legal team asked that the testimony not be allowed as evidence in his upcoming criminal contempt trial. They argued that the admission was not relevant to the current trial and would be unfairly prejudicial.
The government said the remarks are important because they speak to the argument that Arpaio willfully violated the court order, which is the crux of the criminal contempt charge.
Judge Murray Snow ordered the admission is relevant but said Arpaio will have a chance to explain his statements in court. The criminal trial begins June 26.
