A longtime attorney and friend of Joe Arpaio has withdrawn from the former sheriff’s legal team. 

Mel McDonald was lead counsel for former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio until Monday. He filed a motion to withdraw as counsel in Arpaio’s upcoming criminal contempt-of-court trial. 

In his motion, McDonald wrote, “professional considerations require termination of representation,” and called it “mandatory” according to ethics rules.

Arpaio is scheduled to stand trial on April 25 in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.  He faces contempt charges for reportedly ignoring a court order to stop immigration patrols. 

He has admitted prolonging patrols, but said it was not intentional.