Maricopa County settlement vote disrupted by protestors

October 17, 2012

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting was disrupted by protestors Wednesday morning. The meeting was cancelled before the board could approve a multi-million dollar settlement over the death of a jail inmate.

Protestors disrupted the meeting shortly before the board was set to sign off on an agreement to pay $3.25 million to the family of Deborah Braillard. According to court testimony, she was a diabetic who died while in custody in 2005 after guards failed to provide proper medication. The case went to trial this summer but after several days of testimony lawyers for the county settled before it went to the jury,

The protestors at Wednesday’s meeting were demanding the supervisors take action against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio over mishandled investigations.

The board must formally approve the Braillard agreement. A spokesperson for the supervisors says no date has been set for the board to do so.