(ConservativeHub.com) – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office dropped 180 pending criminal cases because they failed to file charges before the expiration of the statute of limitations. In response to this action, Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone, speaking also on behalf of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Heston Silbert, said there’s no excuse for the missed deadlines.
In a statement, Penzone told KTAR-FM the victims in these cases won’t get the justice they deserve now. He said while law enforcement agencies recognize how complicated it can be to run the prosecutor’s office, there was no reason why such a large number of cases fell by the wayside.
Arizona county attorney's office drops 180 criminal charges because of missed deadline https://t.co/usXkul2DH4
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 15, 2022
The Arizona Republic revealed details about the dropped cases through an investigation. The publication found the cases were from 2020 and included domestic assaults, DUIs, and criminal damages. Prosecutors forgot to file charges in all 180 misdemeanor cases and missed the one-year deadline because the office did not conduct proper reviews.
Penzone confirmed he spoke directly to County Attorney Allister Adel, who promised to correct the issues that led to this situation. He also explained they discussed the need for transparency in communications with victims.
In a statement to FOX 10 Phoenix, the attorney’s office said it had made changes in resources to ensure this never happens again. It also noted victims and law enforcement received proper notification of the errors.
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