PHOENIX (AP) — Federal authorities trying to settle civil rights allegations against America's self-proclaimed toughest sheriff say the sheriff's office has negotiated in bad faith and risks ending settlement talks.
The U.S. Justice Department tells one of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's lawyers in a letter Tuesday that the sheriff's office's precondition on being given facts to back up its 22-page letter alleging violations would result in the cancellation of negotiations.
A Justice Department lawyer says in the letter that Arpaio's lawyer sprung this precondition on federal authorities on Tuesday.
Negotiations were set to resume Wednesday in Phoenix.
The Justice Department has accused Arpaio's office of racially profiling Latinos and basing immigration patrols on racially charged citizen complaints that alleged no crime.
The sheriff's office has denied the allegations.
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