Arpaio Loses Bid To Get Judge Removed From Profiling Case

Published: Friday, July 10, 2015 - 5:26pm
Updated: Wednesday, September 23, 2015 - 12:51pm

A federal judge has refused to disqualify himself from a racial profiling case against an Arizona sheriff.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio alleged that questions posed by U.S. District Judge Murray Snow at a hearing two months ago created an appearance of bias.

In a 40-page ruling issued late Friday afternoon, Snow says the recusal motion by Arpaio's attorneys "is legally insufficient and untimely."

Arpaio's lawyers argued Snow put his credibility at issue when asking questions during an April hearing about two secret investigations that involved the judge and were done on the sheriff's behalf.

The sheriff's attorneys say Snow shouldn't have posed questions about matters that involved him or his wife.

Opposing lawyers say Arpaio shouldn't be allowed to use the investigations to get the judge disqualified.