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Special Prosecutor Arguing Joe Arpaio Guilty Verdict Will Remain In Place

Joe Arpaio
Gage Skidmore/CC BY 2.0
Joe Arpaio

An effort to preserve a conviction against former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will remain in place.

President Donald Trump pardoned Arpaio last year after he was found guilty of criminal contempt of court charges.

In April, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals appointed special prosecutor to argue that the former sheriff’s conviction should stand.

The 9th Circuit has declined to review that decision in a divided decision that came out Wednesday, leaving the special prosecutor in place, despite urging from Arpaio’s attorneys.

Arpaio's legal team is considering petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court.

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.