The Arizona Supreme Court is appointing an independent Bar counsel to investigate an ethics complaint against former Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
The complaint was filed with the State Bar of Arizona on September 3, a day before Governor Doug Ducey appointed Montgomery to the state Supreme Court.
Attorneys for convicted murderer Jodi Arias accuse Montgomery of covering up misconduct by county prosecutor Juan Martinez. The Arizona Republic reports lawyer Karen Clark alleges in the complaint that Montgomery failed to supervise Martinez and blocked public records from being released.
According to the court order filed Wednesday, the chief Bar counsel requested the complaint against Montgomery be assigned to an independent Bar counsel to avoid a conflict of interest.
Montgomery was Ducey's fifth appointment to the seven-justice court.
