PHOENIX — One of the two candidates running for Maricopa County Sheriff is on the Arizona Brady List – a database of peace officers with sustained findings of credibility and truthfulness issues.
A federal judge determined in 2016 that former Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan, the Republican candidate for sheriff, lied under oath and defied orders during the landmark Melendres civil rights lawsuit. Two subsequent reviews of the findings sustained Sheridan violated ethics and code of conduct policies related to truthfulness, dereliction of duty, and failure to fulfill expectations of rank and experience.
According to a county database of Brady List officers, Sheridan was officially placed on the list in 2022.
'I don’t remember what I remember'
Sheridan did not respond to email and phone requests for an interview.
A video obtained through a public records request from the sheriff’s office gives insight into why an independent investigator sustained findings of untruthfulness against Sheridan. He was promoted to Chief Deputy in 2010 and was in charge of all MCSO operations during key events of the lawsuit, including that 2011 injunction to halt immigration sweeps, the in 2012, and the ruling in 2013.
Evidence presented during the proceedings exposed dysfunction at MCSO. Plaintiffs for the ACLU demonstrated, often through questioning of Sheridan, how the office had no protocol to train leaders on internal investigations.
Federal Judge Murray Snow concluded Arpaio and Sheridan:
- DISOBEYED THE INJUNCTION
- FAILED TO DISCLOSE EVIDENCE of thousands of relevant items
- FAILED TO DISCIPLINE misconduct of deputies
Regarding the injunction, Snow told MCSO attorneys, “they lied to my face.”
When questioned about his level of culpability for not following the injunction (court order) Sheridan repeatedly downplayed his knowledge and his memory. At one point Sheridan said, “I don’t remember what I remember. I’m sorry.”
Sheridan also said he intentionally avoided information – including emails – about the case because Arpaio wanted a chief under Sheridan’s command to handle it.
“My normal protocol for any Melendres issues was that I didn’t open it or look at it,” Sheridan said.
Sheridan Made $180-$200,000 as Chief Deputy
Sheridan described as the “CEO” of the office and was paid between $180 to $200K during his time as Chief Deputy. He was the highest paid civilian at MCSO.
“I knew there was something going on with Melendres, it started back when I was running the jail system,” Sheridan said, when asked about his knowledge of the class-action lawsuit.
Sheridan said he considered the case a “minor issue” and “nuisance litigation, whatever you want to call it.”
A hidden video in 2013 showed Sheridan calling the judge’s orders “crap” and telling deputies not to collect data during traffic stops, as ordered by the court.
Sheridan later apologized to the judge for his defiance. The interview shows Sheridan repeatedly used ignorance as his defense.
“Legal jargon, preliminary injunction, enjoin, words like that didn’t mean much to me then,” he said when asked about why he wasn’t aware of the preliminary injunction for more than two years during the lawsuit.
'Who knows what I was paying attention to'
When investigators asked Sheridan about one 20212 meeting in which an MCSO attorney testified, saying he slowly and clearly explained the court order to Sheridan and other chiefs, Sheridan suggested the attorney may have been wrong about Sheridan’s attendance.
“You were at that meeting, or you were not at that meeting?” the investigator asked. “As I sit here today, I very well could have been at a staff meeting. Who knows what I was paying attention to,” Sheridan said.
Sheridan said he was busy with other issues in the office.
Court Remedies Have Cost More Than $350 Million
The fallout from the lawsuit continues to this day, as Sheridan now seeks the top spot in the office.
“I am the person for the job. I have the experience I spent 40 years at the sheriff’s office,” Sheridan told 12News in July.
Sheridan says that experience makes him the most qualified to work with the court and contracted court monitors.
“I know the things that need to be done,” Sheridan said.
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