Audio By Carbonatix
When news happens, Phoenix New Times is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
The Monday arrest of Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley triggered a 48-hour window in which to file charges. Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office, which apparently made the arrest in the white-collar case without first consulting a prosecutor’s office, recommends Stapley be charged with 93 felonies and seven misdemeanors related to alleged slush funds.
Dennis McGrane, chief deputy for the Yavapai County Attorney’s office, just told us that charges won’t be filed today by his office. (Yavapai has been handling Stapley’s other criminal case, the one that fell apart last Friday). If no prosecuting agency files charges by midnight tonight, he says, whatever court orders Stapley has been under since the arrest are null and void.
That’s not to say Stapley won’t face charges by Yavapai or another county in the future.
Wouldn’t surprise us if the Sheriff’s Office arrests Stapley every week, until some prosecutor steps up to take the case.
More to come later today…
