Judge denies Arpaio's attempt to take over jail health care
21 commentsby Yvonne Wingett - Apr. 5, 2010 05:11 PM
The Arizona Republic .
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge on Monday dismissed Sheriff Joe Arpaio's attempt to take control of the department that provides health care to inmates.
Arpaio last year sued the Board of Supervisors and county administrators, saying they mismanaged the agency.
Judge Robert Oberbillig granted the county's motion to dismiss.
Arpaio said he would appeal the decision and take the fight to federal court.
The suit is the latest in a string of legal losses by Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas against the supervisors. Thomas stepped down as county attorney Monday to run for higher office.
Disputes among county officials over the past year and a half have cost taxpayers at least $3.2 million through March 15, according to an Arizona Republic analysis.
This lawsuit cost at least $61,000 as of mid-March, mostly for in fees for attorneys hired by the board to defend itself.
"It's good news that the courts recognize that the lawsuit never should've been filed in the first place," said board attorney Wade Swanson. "If the sheriff was really interested in improving the jails, he would've spent less money on attorneys and more money on actual improvements. It's ultimately another unfortunate waste of taxpayer dollars by the sheriff."
Arpaio filed the suit last fall. The claim alleged, among other things, that Correctional Health Services administrators encouraged the Sheriff's Office to temporarily increase staff in certain wards to appease auditors from the system's accrediting agency.
In October 2008, U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake determined that care in the jails was unconstitutional, and that same month, auditors pulled accreditation in the jails.
Since 1998, the county has paid $13 million in legal fees, settlements and jury verdicts to inmates and their families for injury and death claims against Correctional Health Services.
With a budget of about $50 million, Correctional Health Services treats the sick and injured, tracks medical conditions, and prevents diseases inside of the county's six jail facilities. About 130,000 inmates move through the system each year.
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