Lawyers oppose Arpaio request on deposition videos

Attorneys leading a lawsuit that accuses Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies of racially profiling Hispanics in their immigration patrols are opposing a request to forbid the public release of videos of recent depositions by sheriff’s officials.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s lawyer had asked a federal judge to prevent the release of the videos until the case has concluded and argued that the lawsuit should be tried in court and not in the media.

The attorneys for those who filed the lawsuit say Arpaio’s lawyer doesn’t allege any harm from the release of the videos and note that the testimony concerns matters of public business.

Portions of a deposition that Arpaio made in the case late last year were broadcast on at least two TV stations.