AZ Supreme Court uphold prosecutor’s suspension for falsely charging protesters

The Supreme Court of Arizona has upheld the two-year suspension against a former Maricopa County Attorney’s Office prosecutor who worked with police to falsely charge protesters as gang members.

In an order filed on September 11, 2024, the Court affirmed the decision by the state’s presiding disciplinary judge to take away April Sponsel’s law license after a lengthy trial.

The Arizona Supreme Court has not yet published a written opinion about its ruling.

Sponsel was fired by MCAO in 2022 and placed under State Bar investigation.

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She decided to fight to keep her law license after working with Phoenix police to bring bogus charges against demonstrators throughout 2020.

More than 40 felony cases were eventually dismissed.

During her disciplinary trial, Sponsel repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Sponsel’s career began to unravel almost immediately after ABC15 launched its Politically Charged investigation in February 2021.

Contact ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com .

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