December 24, 2007
Ms. Diane Humetewa
U.S. Attorney for Arizona
Two
Renaissance Square
40 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4408
Dear Ms. Humetewa:
Re: Civil Rights Act investigations
—
Congratulations on your
confirmation. I believe one of the
major matters within your
jurisdiction that has gone
un-redressed in recent years are
Civil Rights violations against
Hispanics and prisoners by Sheriff
Joe Arpaio.
As you know, your office has
criminal jurisdiction to enforce
Civil Rights Acts like 42 USC 1841
et seq which provide punishment
for public officials who
discriminate against, or seek
to deny, the civil rights of any
racial or ethnic group. The same
applies to any violation of the 8th
Amendment incorporated into the 14th
which bars cruel and unusual
punishments or deprivation of
liberty or life without due process.
There appears to be substantial
evidence Sheriff Arpaio, his
deputies, and perhaps other Arizona
law enforcement officers —
especially the Scottsdale Police —
are engaged in racial profiling and
making pre-textual traffic stops in
an effort to find undocumented
immigrants so as to get ICE to
deport them. Because we believe
some or all of these stops — or at
least the questioning and searches
that ensue — are pre-textual, we
believe they endanger the rights of
ALL Hispanic or
brown-skinned-looking people —
regardless of their immigration
status; and of course, the 14th
Amendment covers all PERSONS — not
just citizens — so those here
legally on tourist or green-card
visas are affected even if they are
IN FACT
non-citizen Hispanic-Americans.
Further, one of your predecessors as
U.S. Attorney, Janet Napolitano, was
investigating Sheriff Arpaio for
Civil Rights violations in his jail
before she resigned to seek another
office in 2098. I would ask that you
re-open and update that
investigation in light of the
many federal and state court
verdicts showing actions by the
Sheriff that violate the 8th and/or
14th Amendments, some involving
death of inmates due to
such violations.
I am attaching copies of articles
relevant thereto the Hispanic News
website as some "leads" for your
investigation. I'm sure the FBI can
find sufficient evidence, and ask
you present this to a Federal Grand
Jury as soon as sufficient evidence
is available to justify an
Indictment.
Thank you for your expected
cooperation,
Sincerely,
J
