PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio testified in federal court, the latest in a series of hearings into whether MCSO and Arpaio chose not to implement the 2011 order to stop enforcing immigration law.
The Sheriff's attorneys try to prove that Arpaio didn't have much direct involvement in implementing the judge's 2011 order.
The Sheriff told the court, "We delegated that to my subordinates, and they were to work with the attorney."
The judge got a chance to ask questions too and wanted to know why MCSO wasn't more forthcoming with evidence in the case. Back in April the judge ordered MCSO to turn over certain items, but the agency has been accused of being too slow.
The Sheriff told the judge, "I wanted that order to be followed and carried out. I don't recall who I talked to about it."
Snow replied, "What did you do to communicate it to anyone?"
Arpaio said, "I just assumed they all knew."
After the Sheriff had testified, the former head of the Human Smuggling Unit, Lt. Joe Souza took the stand. The ACLU pressed him on why he didn't directly inform deputies about the judge's orders back in 2011. He said he didn't think at the time that MCSO was in violation.
The hearings will continue on Friday.