In his deposition in July 2016, Arpaio said, “I am going by what my detectives accomplished during their investigation. They had the nuts and bolts already. I defend my people. I have confidence in them.”
However, the former Maricopa County sheriff did not accept responsibility for filing the charges against the Flakes. His office failed to present any evidence to support the charges against the Flakes.
According to the lawyer representing Flakes, the case devastated them. Their names were mentioned across the internet as the murderers of 21 dogs. Attorney Stephen Montoya said, “It really ravaged them emotionally.”
In August, U.S. District Judge Neil Wake ruled that Arpaio’s investigators have no probable cause to charge the Flakes. He dismissed a defamation lawsuit against them. The judge said “prosecutors initially charged the Flakes based on pressure from Arpaio.”
