County Attorney Rachel Mitchell is dangerous for Maricopa County
Phoenix, AZ — On Monday, July 18, a jury acquitted Glen Robertson, a Black man who was racially profiled, assaulted, and falsely arrested by Phoenix Police for a hit-and-run on June 25, 2020. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office charged Robertson with assisting a criminal street gang and threatening and intimidating an officer; but never charged him for the hit-and-run. Ironically, Robertson now faces charges for a DUI in the hit-and-run that was never charged. These retaliatory charges were filed nearly a year after the arrest.
Today, interim Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell responded to questions about her office’s conduct in their case against Mr. Robertson.
Mass Liberation Arizona issued the following statement in response:
Rachel Mitchell’s comments on the Robertson trial are deeply concerning. Glen Robertson was acquitted on all charges by a duly impaneled jury. Yet in a statement today, the Maricopa County Attorney told media that Robertson made “threats of gang retaliation” that MCAO will take seriously. It’s clear that Mitchell doesn’t have any remorse for bringing these false charges, but what’s most troubling is that Mitchell clearly doesn’t understand the legal definition of a “threat”. To be clear: Glen Robertson did NOT make any gang related threats.
It is very disturbing that even after three judges warned MCAO about the weakness of this case and the community brought the problems to Mitchell’s desk, she is still accusing Robertson of making threats. A jury acquitted Robertson, and a jury’s decision should be respected by the most powerful prosecuting agency in Arizona. Yet Mitchell still fails to grasp that Glen Robertson did not make threats of any kind—not gang-related or otherwise. It’s dangerous to have someone like this in leadership.
We have not forgotten that Mitchell supported the previous administration when dozens of false gang charges were brought in 2020; we expect nothing less from her now. Our community is tired of being racially and politically targeted, arrested and prosecuted. We will not tolerate this for another term. Mitchell is displaying the same kind of belligerence and incompetence we’ve seen in her predecessors. It’s unacceptable. Mitchell is more concerned with pushing forward false charges and filling prisons than justice. She’s following the same playbook as the failed leadership that preceded her and allowing the legacy of brutality and corruption of this office to continue to go unchecked. The community deserves better.