Arpaio wants to bar victim testimony at his contempt trial

Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio wants to bar Latinos who were illegally detained in his signature immigration patrols from testifying at his trial next month on a criminal contempt-of-court charge.

Lawyers for Arpaio said in a court filing Friday that allowing such victim testimony at his April 25 trial would prejudice their client and be irrelevant in determining whether he committed a crime.

The retired lawman faces the misdemeanor charge for defying a 2011 court order in a racial profiling case that prohibited his immigration patrols. Rank-and-file officers weren’t told about the court order, leaving them to violate the order for about 17 months.

Arpaio has acknowledged prolonging his immigration patrols, but insists his defiance wasn’t intentional.

The 84-year-old, if convicted, could face up to six months in jail.

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