A federal judge found in 2016 that former Chief Deputy Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, who was a Republican candidate for sheriff, lied under oath.
PHOENIX — One of two candidates running for Maricopa County sheriff is Arizona Brady List – A database of police officers that has continually been questioned for its reliability and veracity.
In 2016, a federal court ruled that former Deputy Chief Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, a Republican candidate for sheriff, lied in a sworn deposition and failed to follow orders in the landmark Melendrez civil rights case. Two subsequent investigations found Sheridan violated the Code of Ethics and Conduct for integrity, dereliction of duty and failure to meet expectations of rank and experience.
Sheridan was officially placed on the list in 2022, according to the Brady List county database.
“I can't remember what I remember.”
Sheridan did not respond to email and phone requests for an interview.
The video, obtained through a public records request from the sheriff's office, highlights why the independent investigator maintained false findings of fact against Sheridan, who was promoted to chief deputy in 2010 and was in charge of all MCSO operations during key events in the case, including the 2011 immigration roundup injunction, the 2012 injunction and the 2013 sentencing.
Evidence presented during the trial exposed dysfunction at MCSO: Through their questioning of Sheridan, the ACLU plaintiffs revealed that the office had no procedures for training leaders on internal investigations.
Federal Judge Murray Snow concluded against Arpaio and Sheridan:
- Disobeying orders
- Failure to disclose evidence Thousands of related items
- I couldn't follow the rules Misconduct by lawmakers
“They lied to my face” to MCSO's attorneys about the restraining order, Snow said.
When questioned about the extent of his responsibility for failing to comply with the injunction (court order), Sheridan continued to downplay his knowledge and recollection. At one point, Sheridan said: “I don't remember what I remembered. Sorry.”
Sheridan also said Arpaio intentionally avoided providing information about the incident, including emails, because he wanted the case to be handled by a chief under Sheridan's command.
“My normal response to any issue with Melendres has been to not open it or look at it,” Sheridan said.
Sheridan made between $180,000 and $200,000 as chief deputy sheriff.
Sheridan was described as the “CEO” of the office and was paid between $180,000 and $200,000 a year during his time as chief deputy, making him the MCSO's highest-paid civilian.
Asked about his knowledge of the class action lawsuit, Sheridan said, “I knew something was going on with Mr. Melendres. It started when I was running the prison system.”
Sheridan said he considers the lawsuit a “frivolous matter” and “whatever you want to call it, a nuisance lawsuit.”
A hidden video from 2013 showed Sheridan calling the judge's order “bullshit” and instructing officers not to collect data during traffic stops in accordance with the court order.
Sheridan later apologized for defiantly confronting the judge. The interview revealed that Sheridan had repeatedly used ignorance as a defense.
“The legal jargon — preliminary injunctions, restraining orders, those kinds of words — didn't mean much to me at the time,” he said when asked why he didn't know about preliminary injunctions until more than two years into the litigation.
“No one knows what I was looking at.”
When investigators questioned Sheridan about MCSO's attorney testifying at a 2021 meeting that he explained the court order slowly and clearly to Sheridan and the other chiefs, Sheridan suggested the attorney may have been wrong about Sheridan's attendance.
“Were you present at that meeting or not?” the investigator asked. “It's entirely possible that I was in a staff meeting while I was sitting here today. Who knows what I was paying attention to,” Sheridan said.
Sheridan said he was busy with other issues within the office.
More than $350 million has been spent on court remedies.
The fallout from the lawsuit is still ongoing, and Sheridan is now seeking the top spot in the office.
“I'm the right person for this job. I have 40 years of experience with the sheriff's office,” Sheridan told 12News in July.
Sheridan said his experience makes him best suited to work with the courts and contract court monitors.
“We know what to do,” Sheridan said.
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