The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is accepting applications for county attorney after Bill Montgomery was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, the board appointed a seven-person citizen-committee to screen the applicants.
Before the board named the seven-committee members, they heard from two members of the public, including Analise Ortiz with the ACLU of Arizona.
She asked the board to make sure the committee fully represents the community and that it include a public defender, a formerly incarcerated person and a family member of someone who is currently incarcerated.
"Those closest to the issue are closest to the solution," Ortiz said. "And too often the voices of those who are most impacted by the harms of the criminal justice system are left out of the conversation. We think its critical they have a voice at the table."
Montgomery’s critics said he blocked efforts to reform criminal sentences. And in July, the ACLU demanded he withdraw from consideration for the Supreme Court over criminal justice reform.
Committee members include community leaders, attorneys and former judges. They are:
- Maria Chavira
- Benjamin Taylor
- Judge Boyd Dunn
- Carmen Heredia De la Torre
- Judge Chris Skelly
- Rae Chornenky
- Paula Banahan
