Contempt-of-court ruling against Arpaio deputy upheld
by Adam Stoddard
Tuesday, Apr. 06, 2010 at 8:06 PM
The Arizona Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a contempt of court finding against Adam Stoddard, a Maricopa County Sheriff's detention officer who rifled through a defense attorney's file during a court proceeding.
Adam Stoddard was on duty in a court room during a sentencing last October when he saw "four words" on a letter from the defendant to defense attorney Joanne Cuccia. The four words have never been revealed, but Stoddard claimed he perceived a threat in them and pulled the letter from a file and handed it to a courtroom deputy. Cuccia questioned Stoddard for the action and the sentencing ended abruptly.
Presiding Criminal Judge Gary Donahoe then found Stoddard in contempt of court and ordered him to make a "sincere" public apology to Cuccia on the courthouse plaza and issue a press release to the same effect. At the time set for the apology, Stoddard refused and was ordered to jail, where he remained for nine days until the Court of Appeals issued a stay pending Stoddard's appeal.
The incident was regarded in the court community as a violation of attorney-client privilege. But Stoddard was held up as a hero among supporters of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. On the day of his jailing, detention officers called in sick and held a rally to show solidarity with him.
The Court of Appeals upheld the ruling of contempt in the opinion issued Tuesday. But the panel of three appellate judges wrote, "Instead of ordering Stoddard to call a press conference and apologize to Cuccia, the court should have considered a sanction that more appropriately for the circumstances of the contempt."
The matter was sent back to the Superior Court to come up with a more appropriate sanction, such as a fine.
