Cop steals defense lawyers papers in the middle of the courtroom. On videotape.

The judge is either the least observant person in the world, incompetent, or in on it.

Unbelievable.

Also instructive in showing that authorities aren't required to conspire, because the knee jerk reaction of those on the same team, in this case the judge - "well, these men are charged with the security of the courtroom, so whatever they did must be okay" - is to back the play of others in authority, regardless of right, wrong or the facts.

Welcome to Marikafka County, Arizona - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine:

"As defense attorney Joanne Cuccia discusses her client's sentencing hearing with the judge, Maricopa County Sheriff's Department detention officer Adam Stoddard walks up behind her, and begins sifting through one of her files, which she has placed on the defense table. Remarkably, Stoddard then removes a document from the file and hands it off to another deputy, who then leaves the courtroom with it. They don't even bother to inform Cuccia, who has her back turned the entire time. The judge appears to have missed the incident as well.

...Could it possibly be legal for a law enforcement official to meander up to the defense table, begin reading the defense team's files, then take documents from said files without notifying the attorney? That sounds absurd on its face"