Jury rules for Arpaio in lawsuit by senator’s son, ex-wife

PHOENIX (AP) — PHOENIX — An Arizona jury has refused to award damages against former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the since-dismissed animal cruelty case he brought against one of Sen. Jeff Flake's sons.

Jurors late Thursday ruled against Austin Flake and his then-wife Logan Brown in their malicious-prosecution lawsuit stemming from Arpaio's investigation into the heat-exhaustion deaths of 21 dogs at a kennel operated by Flake's in-laws.

Flake and Brown were caring for the dogs while the in-laws were in Florida.

The case against the couple was dismissed at the request of prosecutors after an expert determined that the facility's air conditioner failed because the operators didn't properly maintain it.

The couple alleged Arpaio brought the case to garner publicity for himself and to do political damage to Flake's father.