Criminal Justice

Officer spared from jail tonight by supposed clerical error

By Nick R. Martin | December 1st, 2009 | 6:22 pm | 12 Comments »

He showed up for jail and left just as quickly.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says it is unable to book one of its own, detention officer Adam Stoddard, into jail tonight because of a supposed clerical error.

Stoddard apparently surrendered to the custody of his own agency in the past hour, but according to his attorney, the sheriff’s office told him it could not book him because of some sort of error with the paperwork from the judge who sent him there.

“The judge screwed up the order of confinement,” said deputy county attorney Tom Liddy.

Liddy said the error was no fault of Stoddard or the sheriff’s office.

“He did self surrender,” the attorney said. “He is in compliance with the order.”

Stoddard was directed to jail after Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe found him in contempt of court for a bizarre October incident in which he was caught on a courthouse security video slipping a confidential document from the file of a defense attorney.

Donahoe gave Stoddard the chance to avoid going to jail by apologizing to the defense attorney, but Stoddard has defied the judge and refused to say he’s sorry.

Liddy said he was unclear what exactly the problem was tonight with the booking process, but he said it had something to do with the booking number.

Stoddard’s attorney said he would go to the judge “as soon as the court opens its doors” in the morning to get the problem worked out so he can report for jail tomorow.


  • You HAVE to be kidding me.

  • You HAVE to be kidding me.

  • This circus is amazing. The media isn’t hyping it; they are merely covering it. Joe Arpaio needs to not take it as an attack, rather an opportunity to align his workforce with the laws they’re bound by.

    This Adam Stoddard guy is a *real* professional and his career is scarred from the incident. His arrogance and utter contempt for the law, due process and the dynamics between law enforcement and the judicial system is quite appalling.

    It will be great with the actual case that was being tried while he lifted those papers will be ruled as a mistrial, costing the taxpayers even more dollars for the ignorance of Maricopa County Sheriffs Office. Thank you, Adam Stoddard for showing what an asshole you are. Just apologize and drop your ego bullshit.

    ~joe

  • This circus is amazing. The media isn't hyping it; they are merely covering it. Joe Arpaio needs to not take it as an attack, rather an opportunity to align his workforce with the laws they're bound by.

    This Adam Stoddard guy is a *real* professional and his career is scarred from the incident. His arrogance and utter contempt for the law, due process and the dynamics between law enforcement and judicial system is appalling.

    It will be great with the actual case that was being tried while he lifted those papers will be ruled as a mistrial, costing the taxpayers even more dollars for the ignorance of Maricopa County Sheriffs Office. Thank you, Adam Stoddard for showing what an asshole you are. Just apologize and drop your ego bullshit.

    ~joe

  • Anonymous

    Is it really appropriate for the county’s attorney to use language like “screwed up”, particularly when referring to the conduct of a sitting judge? Many of the folks involved in this situation seem to be playing fast and loose with professional decorum.

  • lawyerboy

    Is it really appropriate for the county's attorney to use language like “screwed up”, particularly when referring to the conduct of a sitting judge? Many of the folks involved in this situation seem to be playing fast and loose with professional decorum.

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  • Anonymous

    Wow, an error in the booking paperwork? What an amazing coincidence! Whoever would have expected that when the time came to incarcerate someone that Sheriff Joe didn’t want jailed, a critical error would just happen to show up in some paperwork? Why, it’s enough to make you believe in God. Or at least in someone who thinks he is.

  • henrybowman

    Wow, an error in the booking paperwork? What an amazing coincidence! Whoever would have expected that when the time came to incarcerate someone that Sheriff Joe didn't want jailed, a critical error would just happen to show up in some paperwork? Why, it's enough to make you believe in God. Or at least in someone who thinks he is.

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