Hearing delayed for accused cancer faker

Julie Jane Martin

AURORA | A judge Monday delayed until May the arraignment for a woman accused of faking cancer and swindling a local charity out of more than $10,000. 

Julie Jane Martin, 38, is facing a felony theft charge after police say she lied to officials from the Aurora charity Cops Fighting Cancer about being sick for more than a year, bilking the organization for air travel, hotel stays and other expenses. 

Martin’s lawyer on Monday asked the arraignment, at which Martin is expected to enter a plea, be pushed back a few months because Martin is set to have surgery soon to correct her deafness, which she recently developed. 

A sign language interpreter was in the courtroom for Martin during Monday’s brief hearing, translating the precedings for her. 

Prosecutors, however, were dubious of Martin’s claim of deafness, citing the allegations that she previously faked a terminal illness and asked that Martin provide documentation about her scheduled surgery. 

Martin’s lawyer declined to release any medical documents and asked that the judge delay the hearing so any issues could be addressed at a later date.