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These sleaze bag prosecutors in Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery office would probably frame their mother for murder if they could carve a notch in their guns for convicting her.
Sadly sleaze bag Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery treats marijuana users the same way. Ever since Prop 203 or Arizona's medical marijuana act has been passed he has been making up imaginary laws to arrest and jail medical marijuana patients and medical marijuana care takers for.
Merritt attorneys ask judge to unseal court documents in Phoenix freeway shooter case Megan Cassidy, The Republic | azcentral.com 1:54 p.m. MST April 26, 2016 Defense attorneys for Leslie Merritt Jr. have asked a judge to order the release of court documents that are still under seal in the now-dismissed “freeway shooter” case. Merritt, 21, was arrested Sept. 18 in relation to a string of Phoenix-area freeway shootings last summer. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Warren Granville dismissed Merritt’s charges Monday, but many pleadings related to the case still remain unavailable to the public. In a motion filed Tuesday morning, defense attorneys Jason Lamm and Ulises Ferragut argued that any previous reservations about releasing the materials no longer are relevant. The motion noted that the court had been concerned that public dissemination of certain materials potentially could taint a jury pool, or could allow media or citizens to contact witnesses. “But those concerns are now moot that this case has been dismissed,” the motion states. It noted that, per Arizona law, there must be a “clear and present danger” to justify closing pleadings from public inspection. “The veil of secrecy behind which the State has hidden must be pierced by this Court,” the motion stated. “… it must be pierced so as to prohibit the prosecution from disingenuously infecting the public record with false statements about the demise of its case.” A jab at the prosecution Merritt’s attorneys took the motion as an opportunity to take a jab at Maricopa County Attorney’s Office attorneys who, until Monday, were prosecuting the case. It noted a statement made by County Attorney spokesman Jerry Cobb, who on Friday told a reporter that the decision to file for a dismissal had “nothing to do with what the defense uncovered but have everything to do with what evidence prosecutors uncovered.” Defense attorneys said in the motion that “nothing could be further from the truth,” unless Cobb considered a defense expert's opinion “something prosecutors uncovered.” Cobb declined to comment on the matter Tuesday morning, saying the office "responds to motions in court, not in the media." Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is named as one of four defendants in an anticipated lawsuit against state officials. Merritt’s attorneys last month filed a $10 million notice of claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit. Granville’s Monday ruling to dismiss the case was a formality of sorts, capping off a ripple of bombshells delivered last week. Case history First it was revealed in court that a state-funded expert had called into question ballistics evidence that had served as the linchpin in the state’s case against Merritt. Granville subsequently lowered Merritt's bond to zero from $150,000, allowing Merritt to walk out of jail hours later. Then just before the close of business Friday, prosecutors moved to drop the case without prejudice, setting the stage for Granville’s decision Monday. Officials with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to comment on the decision Monday, but Friday said they received additional information that caused the office to file the motion to the court. Cobb said an active investigation into the freeway shootings was continuing. More articles about how Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is framing Leslie Allen Merritt Jr.
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