Prosecutor in Jodi Arias trial faces disciplinary hearing amid misconduct allegations

PHOENIX (FOX 10) -- The county prosecutor made famous in the Jodi Arias trial is about to face a disciplinary hearing.

Juan Martinez is accused of lying about leaking information to a blogger he was having an affair with, communicating with a dismissed juror, and sexually harassing several female co-workers. Martinez could face a range of punishments, including losing his law license, over the allegations in this ethics complaint, which was filed in March 2019.

Around a dozen witnesses expected to testify against him, including the blogger and several women who claim they used to hide in the bathroom to get away from Martinez at work.

Martinez gained national notoriety after getting a guilty verdict in the Arias trial and sending her away to prison for life for the gruesome killing of boyfriend, Travis Alexander. There is, however, a new narrative emerging about the high-powered prosecutor.

Martinez denied leaking information to blogger Jen Wood during the sentencing phase of the Arias trial, while also denying the two were having a sexual relationship. The complaint says both of those claims are false. Martinez is also accused of leaking information on the identity of juror number 17. the lone holdout against giving Arias the death penalty, and he is accused of communicating with dismissed juror number three, who tried to initiate a sexual relationship with him, including sending nude pictures.

The complaint says Martinez told juror number three he could get into trouble, but went ahead and asked her how other jurors might view evidence or aspects of the case.

In the allegations, several co-workers apparently compiled a "JM List" of Martinez's sexually predatory conduct. An investigation by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office found that clerks would hide from Martinez in the bathroom. and that he often made inappropriate comments, including telling one woman he could guess the color of her underwear. and telling another that he wanted to "climb her like a statue".

Martinez's attorney, Donald Wilson Jr., told FOX 10's Brian Webb by phone Wednesday afternoon the hearing "will give Mr. Martinez a fair opportunity to present his side of the case, and we look forward to the opportunity where we will exonerate Mr. Martinez."

The hearing is set to start on August 27.