Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos Faces $1M Lawsuit from Arizona Inmate
An Arizona inmate has filed a lawsuit against Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and his department, specifically the investigators involved in the Nancy Guthrie case, seeking over $1 million. The inmate alleges that Sheriff Nanos and his deputies endangered his life by failing to follow COVID-19 protocols, as detailed in court documents.
Christopher Michael Marx, currently incarcerated at Pima County Jail, lodged the lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Arizona on March 5. This legal action comes amidst criticism directed at Nanos and his team for their perceived lack of progress in the ongoing investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance.
Marx claims in the lawsuit that his safety was compromised when a sheriff's deputy at Pima County Jail moved between a unit where a COVID-19-positive inmate was quarantined and Marx's own unit without properly sanitizing. The inmate stated in the court documents that the deputy's actions, including serving meals without sanitizing, jeopardized his life.
According to Marx, the sheriff and his deputies failed to adequately contain the spread of the virus, posing a constant threat to his safety. Marx emphasized the potential severity of the situation, stating, “This put my life in jeopardy with their action, constantly. I could have died.”
The inmate, who was convicted of shoplifting in late 2024, referenced a violation of Article Two of the Arizona State Constitution, the Declaration of Rights, citing concerns of safety threats and “cruel and unusual punishment” by Nanos and the department.
In his lawsuit, Marx seeks an apology from Sheriff Nanos and a substantial sum of $1,350,000, which he plans to donate to two apartment buildings dedicated to housing the previously homeless. Additionally, Marx demands that Nanos and his department enforce proper sanitation practices when working between quarantined units.
Critics have accused Sheriff Nanos of allowing personal motivations, including an alleged vendetta against the FBI, to hinder the search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing on February 1.
Sgt. Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Deputies Organization, has expressed concerns that the investigation has become a matter of ego for Sheriff Nanos. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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