Feds visit Sheriff Joe's jails in bias probe

[pinboy3niner]

Feds visit Maricopa County jails in bias probe
by JJ Hensley - Nov. 12, 2010 10:15 PM
The Arizona Republic


U.S. Justice Department attorneys toured Maricopa County jails this week as part of the federal government's ongoing investigation into allegations that Sheriff Joe Arpaio's agency discriminates against inmates based on race.

The visit marked the first time Arpaio's agency has cooperated with the Justice Department's civil-rights investigation since the federal government in September filed suit against Maricopa County and the Sheriff's Office because of the sheriff's refusal to cooperate with the investigation, which stretched back to the summer of 2009.
<snip>

The civil-rights probe is unrelated to a separate abuse-of-power criminal investigation against the Sheriff's Office by the Justice Department, which is connected to long-running disputes with county government and the judiciary and has led to months of grand-jury testimony.
<snip>

In coming weeks, investigators are scheduled to conduct interviews with inmates, employees in the jails and members of the sheriff's command staff.


Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/11/12/20101112arpaio-discrimination-maricopa-jail.html#ixzz159V3jnR5

It's good to see any sign of progress in the investigations, especially when Arpaio and his lawyers have been pretty effective in holding the feds at bay at each step of the process. With this hurdle finally cleared, this investigation should be moving closer to resolution.

[midnight]

1. Did our justice dept. restore the civil rights devision to the

level it was before bush dimantled it, or are we still working with the bush level of civil rights resources?

[pinboy3niner]

2. I can't drop what I'm doing to search it...

...but, with the internets at your fingertips, feel free... :)

[jody]

3. Don't know but congress has never funded DoJ to restore the civil right RKBA although that right is

routinely restored for felony convictions at the state and local level.