Decision to fire a public defender came after The Republic obtained public records
By Craig Harris | The Republic
Following sexual-harassment investigations into two public defenders, Maricopa County has terminated its contract with one and will “coach” the other to stop making “inappropriate comments in the workplace,” records obtained by The Arizona Republic show.
County Manager Joy Rich decided Jan. 26 to stop using the services of public defender Roger Margolis, a county spokesman said. The decision came after The Republic requested and obtained public records from the county’s Public Defender’s Office that showed Margolis had been accused of sexually harassing women for more than a year.
Margolis in a phone interview said he adamantly denied the allegations, and that he was terminated without cause.
