Arizona Judge Sets New Dates For Arpaio Trial

By Heather van Blokland
Published: Friday, April 14, 2017 - 7:28am

A federal judge has set new dates for former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's trial on a criminal contempt-of-court charge.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton said the bench trial will be held June 26-30 and July 5-7. Arpaio's trial had been scheduled to begin on April 25. 

Bolton agreed to the delay after Arpaio's lead attorney quit the case last week.

Arpaio faces the misdemeanor charge after prolonging his immigration patrols for 17 months, even though a judge in a racial profiling case had ordered them stopped.

Arpaio has acknowledged extending the patrols but said his defiance wasn't intentional. If convicted, the 84-year-old Arpaio could face up to six months in jail.