Havasu Police Retain Mugshots from Public Eye Following U.S. Court Ruling

Update: As of Monday, the Mohave County Jail inmate search tool has been deactivated, ending the posting of inmate booking photos online. This change comes after a recent U.S. District Court ruling in Maricopa County that challenges the release of mugshots by local law enforcement.

The Lake Havasu City Police Department announced on Monday that it will pause the release of mugshots for recently arrested individuals until the implications of the court ruling are thoroughly understood. This follows a significant decision by the U.S. 9th District Court of Appeals that reversed a previous federal ruling regarding the release of mugshots.

The case in question involves Brian J. Houston, who faced a misdemeanor assault charge in January 2022 that was later dismissed. His mugshot, however, was made publicly available on the Maricopa County “Mugshot Lookup” website, contributing to personal and professional repercussions for him. The image spread across various third-party sites, including Mugshots.com, which hosts photos of approximately 909,000 detainees in Arizona.

Houston contended that the public availability of his mugshot led to humiliation and harmed his business reputation. While Maricopa County maintained that releasing mugshots served the public interest, Houston argued it amounted to punitive action before any criminal conviction.

In response to his circumstances, Houston filed a class action lawsuit against the county and Sheriff Paul Penzone, seeking compensation for the damage caused. Although his initial complaint was dismissed, the federal appellate court recently overturned that ruling, granting Houston the ability to pursue his claims further.

The court stated, “The state may not punish pretrial detainees without an adjudication of guilt.” Judge Marsha Berzon, who authored the court’s findings, criticized Maricopa County’s rationale for releasing detailed personal information, stating it did not effectively serve a transparency purpose.

Berzon noted that essential details, such as arresting officers’ names and agency, were not included in the published records, calling into question the county’s transparency claim. As a result of the appellate court’s decision, the Lake Havasu City Police Department will halt releasing mugshots, with Public Information Officer Kyle Ridgway conducting further research into the court’s implications.

Moreover, the Bullhead City Police Department announced it would also suspend public access to mugshots beginning Friday. In Kingman, detainees are processed at the Mohave County Jail, and inquiries regarding this decision have not received a response from the sheriff’s office.