Youth advocates and members of the Arizona Public Defender Association want the Arizona Supreme Court to do what many other states have done and end the indiscriminate shackling of youth in juvenile courtrooms. In a petition submitted to the court, attorney Christina Phillis writes that, “The goal of juvenile court is…
A cornucopia of meth, heroin, ecstasy, and other drugs, along with $7,000 in cash and evidence of drug-making equipment allegedly were seized by authorities this week at a Phoenix residence shared by a high-powered GOP fundraiser, her boyfriend, and his two young children. According to probable-cause statements on file with…
Federal authorities arrested an arson suspect last week in the same area where a string of suspicious fires worried residents of a neighborhood on Mount Elden in Flagstaff. Court records filed on Monday detail how Officer Charles Emerson of the U.S. Forest Service and another officer nabbed Shawn Patrick Farnham,…
The argument was getting heated so police allege that 28-year-old Rafael Arredondo decided to set his girlfriend on fire. Well, first, Arredondo, who lived with his girlfriend near 21st Avenue and Indian School Road in Phoenix, allegedly bound and gagged her with clear packing tape. Then, he doused her shorts…
An Arizona Department of Economic Security worker cracked under the strain of an abusive boss, admitting herself to a psychiatric ward and talked of wanting to “shoot someone,” the agency says. When the DES Office of Inspector General investigated, witnesses corroborated the employee’s story of verbal and physical abuse, and…
A Mesa man, who according to police went by the online alter ego “Zel the Wolf”on the digital art-sharing site DeviantArt.com, was arrested this week for alleged online sexual contact with two 12-year-old girls and for bestiality. Mesa police say Aaron Thomas Usery, 21, engaged in virtual sexual relationships with…
Robert Fisher, one of the most wanted men in the country, still is believed to be on the loose, 15 years after he allegedly slaughtered his wife and two kids before blowing up his Scottsdale home. On Friday, the week before Fisher turns 55, the FBI and Scottsdale police released…
The Scottsdale Police Department may be stating the obvious with its new public-safety campaign, but the cops are warning teens that unsupervised prom parties in hotel rooms are prime places to drink and do drugs. It’s called “We’re Coming to the Party!” — the “we” being Scottsdale police. And it’s…
Attorneys representing the state of Arizona called on a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the way the state carries out the death penalty. If U.S. District Judge Neil Wake rules in its favor, the Arizona Department of Corrections would be free to resume lethal injections, which were put…
Does the Arizona Department of Child Safety need parental permission to interview children during an investigation into alleged neglect? According to a new opinion authored by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, the answer is no. The AG’s Office was asked to look into the issue because — while it’s always…
The protester arrested at the Arizona State Capitol on Monday had a safety pin in his pants that pricked an officer who searched him, and now police want him charged with aggravated assault. Jonathan Mcrae, 23, of Paulden, “was observed yelling and causing a disturbance in the gallery of the…
A veteran plans to sue the Gilbert Police Department after, lawyers say, officers Tased him until his heart stopped while in the midst of a psychotic episode caused by post-traumatic stress disorder. Kyle Cardenas’s mother, recognizing that her son was exhibiting symptoms of PTSD, called a crisis hotline operated by…
One sentence in federal Judge Susan R. Bolton’s recent decision in the 2014 shooting death of Manuel Longoria by Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy Heath Rankin neatly sums up the circumstances of Longoria’s unnecessary killing. Halfway through her 11-page order granting summary judgment in favor of Rankin, Pinal County, and Rankin’s boss,…
Ex-Minuteman leader and alleged child molester Chris Simcox has dropped his controversial bid to personally cross-examine two alleged child victims during an upcoming trial, according to attorneys involved with the case. Simcox, who is representing himself, told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jose Padilla that he was waiving his attempt…
Tempe police are on alert for possible trouble on Saturday at a theater where Hells Angels’ members are scheduled to screen a movie about the club. The 1983 film “Hells Angels Forever” will be shown at noon at Pollack Tempe Cinemas, theater representatives confirm. Police have taken notice and will…
A Taiwanese national has been indicted in Arizona for buying and possessing more than 17,000 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition last month at a Phoenix gun show. Jian Kia Chen was stopped on Interstate 10 on February 20 after buying the rounds at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show at…
What’s better than dressing like a leprechaun, using your (terrible) Irish accent, and drinking Guinness, green beer, or Jameson with your friends on St. Patrick’s Day? Not getting busted for drunk driving, that’s what! But jokes aside, Arizona, in the age of Uber and Lyft, there’s no excuse for being…
Free tampons, menstrual pads, and condoms in university restrooms — and free testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Faculty race quotas in place by 2020. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, in new funding for building renovations, access to free computers, paid tutors, reduced-price or free healthy food, and…
In Latino neighborhoods, eloteros are about as popular as the ice cream man. They ride around in bikes selling corn on the cob covered in mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime, salt, and chili powder. The blast of their bugle bicycle horns are the eloteros’ iconic call to customers. “They’ve definitely become…
New details have emerged in a case against Phoenix resident Alejandrina Angel Flores, 27, who was arrested last week and charged with six counts of child abuse. According to court documents, the Phoenix Police Department received a call from Flores’ sister last Thursday about a domestic violence situation at Flores’…
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery moved forward with second-degree murder charges today against a Mesa police officer for killing a suspect without justification. Philip Mitchell Brailsford, 25, shot and killed Daniel Shaver, 26, of Nashville on January 18 after police were called to a Mesa motel following a report of…
Whether lawyers should be required to join and pay dues to the State Bar of Arizona is a fair subject for debate, certainly. But if anyone’s confused about whether a bill now before the State Senate that guts the State Bar would be a good idea, just look at who…
