Joe Arpaio contempt hearings: More aides to testify today

Sheriff Joe Arpaio and four of his aides will return to court Tuesday morning to face another round of civil-contempt hearings.

Proceedings that were supposed to last for four days in April will now likely stretch into November as the case has sprouted new allegations of the Maricopa County lawman’s defiance.

What’s at stake: The hearings will help U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow decide whether Arpaio willfully or unintentionally flouted three of his orders stemming from a racial-profiling case. The distinction could mean the difference between a finding of civil or criminal contempt.

Though Snow’s verdict remains limited to these three topics, other related issues could factor into his decision.

Namely, was Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's hiring of a Seattle-based confidential informant intended to discredit Snow, as plaintiffs’ attorneys have suggested? And is the department's system for internal affairs intended to excuse, rather than punish, problematic officers?

Days of testimony: Four days in April, eight days in September and October. A possibility of 14 more between October and November; 26 total.

Total witnesses to date: At least 10, including Arpaio, Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan and Arpaio’s former attorney Tim Casey.

Expected witnesses: Two of the lawman’s key players in what’s been dubbed the “Seattle Operation” are expected to testify during upcoming hearings.

One is posse member Mike Zullo, who first made headlines after taking the lead in Arpaio’s controversial investigation into the authenticity of President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. Zullo, according to previous witnesses, was Arpaio’s point man in the Seattle Operation as well.

Another is Detective Brian Mackiewicz, who also reportedly accompanied Zullo on various trips to Seattle. As recently as August, Mackiewicz was facing a criminal investigation by the Sheriff's Office for undisclosed allegations.

Key moments so far: Arpaio admitting to the Seattle probe and investigation involving Snow and his wife, Arpaio’s former attorney Casey testifying against the lawman, Arpaio’s testimony that claimed he thought Snow was a victim, and an aide relaying rumor that Arpaio spent $10,000 of his own money on the Seattle investigation.