'Vindictive and headline-hungry' Arpaio costs Maricopa County $775,000 in settlement

[Newsjock]

Source: Arizona Republic

Maricopa County on Friday agreed to pay $775,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Chandler police officer Thomas Lovejoy, who claimed he was wrongfully arrested by Sheriff Joe Arpaio related to the 2007 death of Lovejoy's K-9 partner, Bandit.

While Lovejoy admitted he was "tragically negligent" in leaving the police dog unattended for several hours in his patrol SUV, his attorney argued a "vindictive and headline-hungry" Arpaio pushed for criminal prosecution despite lacking "a shred of evidence," according to court documents.

A criminal prosecution would have required evidence showing Lovejoy intended to harm the dog, Lovejoy's attorney Michael Manning contended. But Arpaio insisted on bringing charges against Lovejoy to create a public example, Manning said.

A justice of the peace in the San Tan Justice Court in Chandler acquitted Lovejoy of animal abuse in August 2008.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2012/04/13/20120413arpaio-dog-death-lawsuit-settled.html

[tularetom]

1. Hard to take sides in this one

No way I'd support some asshole that left his dog to fry in a hot patrol car, but that doesn't mean I'd ever in a thousand years agree with arpeggio.

[UTUSN]

2. R#2 for the "vindictive & headline-hungry" words. n/t