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Lacey engages in civil disobedience and then sues when he suffers the consequences. I cannot imagine Gandhi doing that. The fact that Lacey was arrested for knowingly committing a crime is not the basis of a lawsuit. I respected Lacey for his principles in publishing the original story but this lawsuit shows he is not a man of convictions but someone who wants more time in the limelight and money.

Comment by craig parks — February 20, 2008 @ 09:39PM

Stephen Lemons,

Thank you for your brilliantly written and courageous article, on abuse of power in Maricopa County and the State of Arizona.

You have informed the public, and the numbers are staggering.

The cruel and inhumane culture, created and perpetuated by Arpaio and Thomas is so entrenched that it does not see itself. They've made it into a joke. Quality of life in this county and state is worse than it was four years ago, along with staggering debt.

This reign of terror must end. THIS Gang is a disgrace to the State of Arizona and America. This is not what I thought I voted
for and plan on flipping the switch this election. Hope you the voters do the same.

This growing prison state and war zone Arizona has become is alarming. It affects not only Arizona taxpayers but those throughout the country, who will have to bail this county and state out with their own dollars. If you think Katrina was a
financial mess, you haven't seen anything yet. Do you trust this Gang to spend your tax dollars?

The County Commissioners and the State of Arizona Bar have a responsibility to protect the public, and need to take immediate action on abuse of power by County Attorney Thomas. The Attorney General of the State of North Carolina set precedent and stepped in to get rid of District (County) Attorney Nifong. Now it's time for Attorney General Goddard to do the same. If nothing is done than you will all be complicit in the ongoing destruction of what was once a fine State.

Using mugs shots, billboards and fearmongering gimmicks is getting tired and old. Whose next among the "perfect" society? Wasting taxpayers money on marketing (election) brochures at taxpayers expense is a disgrace. Costly Crime Prevention Brochures? What the public needs are Brochures that help them defend themselves against abuse of power, overzealous law enforcement and overzealous prosecution, stacked charges and legal lingo that no one understands. It's time to end the sickening game of destroying people in the name of "tough on crime". It's time to turn the tables. We've had enough.

It's time for change and a new vision for a brighter future. Maricopa County and the State of Arizona is eating it's young.
No wonder, there is a shortage of teachers, medical staffs, doctors, nurses, caregivers and on and on. It's time to recognize
and educate them on how at risk they are living and working in this county and state. That's the brochure we need to see.

It time to break up THIS Gang!! These are true criminals, violating the public trust and abusing it's own.

Enough, is enough!! THIS GANG MUST GO!

Comment by BREAK UP THIS GANG! — February 20, 2008 @ 11:41PM

To comment #1 - I was never in the newpaper business, so don't throw me in the mix.

Comment by Ghandi — February 20, 2008 @ 11:47PM

As a seasonal visitor here, I followed John Dougherty's informative articles and then after time, wondered you silenced him.

A County Sheriff selling marketing trinkets as his own personal "brand" using taxpayers money is something beyond belief!
By allowing him to build his "brand" at taxpayers expense, we now have out of control criminal justice system, overrun
courts, jails and prisons -- Who gets the money from the bobbleheads and trinkets? And who foots the bill? Something
is very wrong with this picture.

Now I find out, I'm not the only one who can't find answers to my questions. Hopefully the court case will find the missing
answers. I won't miss a day of the trial. It will be an event to behold. This is the publicity the public needs to see.

Comment by Where's the money? — February 21, 2008 @ 12:01AM

Excerpt caught my eye, "We are not going to proceed with this investigation," stated Thomas.

Right, someone got caught with their pants down! (trite but true)6a7

Comment by Remaining vigilant — February 21, 2008 @ 12:09AM

Great job Stephen.
It's been a really great group effort by all of you.
Let's just keep pounding the truth at them !
Glad your feeling better :-)

Comment by Jim Cozzolino — February 21, 2008 @ 01:02AM

Check out this mornings edition of the Republic. Dennis Wilenchik has a column in the Opinions section wherein he lays out the legal basis for the heavyhanded arrests of the New Times owners. He further absolves himself of any responsibility in the arrests and places that decision squarely on the Sheriff's Office. Hmmmmm . . . . something's rotten in Phoenix and it ain't the New Times.

Comment by Native Arizonan since 1956 — February 21, 2008 @ 09:05AM

Go get them!
As a Maricopa County taxpayer I would not mind a raise in taxes if it meant a big payout for the antics of the sheriff's office. Big Brother is not dead, but it is important to do what we can to get him neutralized.

Comment by PEMulholland — February 21, 2008 @ 10:52AM

If 15MD (taxpayer money) is what it takes for these 3 clowns to: teach them a lesson, to take them out of the office, to show the public who they really are, to possibly put them in jail, to embarrasse them, to make them suffer. then I don't mind footing the bill. hell make it 30MD!

Comment by RIck — February 21, 2008 @ 10:55AM

This is best news i have heard so far! Go get em we're right behind you. These slugs think they can come in and do as they please and answer to no one. Hmmm. This is total abuse of power and they have been doing it all along. You can fool some of the people some of the time.......
Those bill boards advertiseing themselves for their next political position and paid for by the voters ot to be burned down, or sub captioned "I am costing you the public and have their hands in their pants pockets the real theives.
Pity the ignorant who allow the cameras to dictate their small minds how great they are. And now they are using the churchs to run around telling people how to prevent crime??? That is not the prosecutors job. Who else is watching these 3 musketeers? Look what happened to Roomeney when teamed up with (quote Tucson "An in competent vaudevillain campainging for a duplicitous moron, should be on comedy central. Surely this cant be the best the Republicans party has to offer"

Comment by justine — February 21, 2008 @ 11:56AM

Its about time these thugs are held accountable for their Hitler type actions and abuse of all our freedoms.I know of a person held in Joe's jail being denied medications and held for days when hospitalization was required,while the C.O.'s laughed and berated him.The cells are filthy with variuos biohazzard,(hair,snot,finger& toenails,dirt,and other unidentafiable fluids)all this while feeding those detained rancid meat sandwiches on a brown industrial paper towel.Some of the cells don't even have a sink to wash your hands or a toilet.A hole with a metal feces encrusted grate is provided for "natures call".These deplorable conditions exist for anyone accused of a crime before they are even found guilty.Oh, you guessed it, mi amigos charges were later dropped.
Lets protect our Freedom and Human Rights,not the The Three Dumd Human Lice.
Its time for the Dictators or Three blind Mice to get thier "cum-up-pants".
Watch Out for the farmers wife!

Comment by Consta2Shon — February 21, 2008 @ 04:38PM

Does anyone else find it interesting that Joe calls this group of thugs his 'SELECTIVE Enforcement Unit'? That should set off warning bells right there, but the Blue-Hairs keep voting this ass-clown into office. Glad I moved out of Az, although, there are some politicians here who make Az pols look like some kind of cross between the perfect iberal and the perfect conservative rolled into one.

Comment by Mikey — February 21, 2008 @ 04:55PM

I liked o'l Joe for his audacious law enforcements, but after reading these articles, it look like the sheriff has been out on the hot Arizona sun for too long suffering from a baked brain. His swollen head makes his condition critical!

Comment by neil — February 22, 2008 @ 10:52AM

GO GET THEM !!You are the only paper in Phx with guts enough to go after those jokers...Keep up the good work,, we depend on you to read the truth..When it comes to public officials..Those 3 jokers(arpaio, thomas..and wilsh...) think they own the state of Az.

Comment by Carlos — February 22, 2008 @ 10:09PM

Any chance Arpaio will become a resident of his own jail, forced to eat bologna 3 times a day?

Comment by Andy Bartholomay — February 23, 2008 @ 11:00PM

Hopefully the sun will shine on the truth in this potential complaint.

It would be helpful if there were links to court filings and rulings in the many other cases noted in this article.

Best of luck.

Comment by kbp — February 24, 2008 @ 10:58AM

SCREW THAT FAT ASS JOE. GO GET HIM, FAT-ASS STEPHEN. MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT

Comment by SCREW JOE — February 24, 2008 @ 05:19PM

Thanks very much for helping to defend the Constitution. THANK YOU!

Comment by K — March 8, 2008 @ 03:07AM

I left Phoenix in 1989 but still read the New Times on line on a weekly basis to keep up with what's happening in a town I happen to like. For Joe Arpaio to include me and my reading habits in his sweeping subpoena is abhorrent. Count me in if there is a class action lawsuit against sheriff Joe and Maricopa County.
Jon V Tiffany

Comment by Jon V Tiffany — March 9, 2008 @ 09:20AM

I guess "David" of "David v. the System" (See, New Times, August 1997) wasn't the "whackjob" Paul Rubin made him out to be! Glad to see (11 years later) that you have chosen to stand in the ring and fight back at American fascism. "Freedom is not a gift from heaven. One must fight for it every day." Simon Wiesenthal.

Comment by David Erlichman — March 13, 2008 @ 07:10PM