YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - If you hear the words "grand jury" chances are you know it's a highly secret legal proceeding where average citizens hear evidence against someone. 

Unlike a trial -- what happens in a grand jury is almost never revealed publicly.  But now there's a case that could force Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains to release grand jury testimony -- and he is not happy about it. 

The case involves a lawswuit filed by a former assistant county prosecutor who says he was fired after he blew the whistle on misconduct in the prosecutor's office.  

Now, Marty Desmond wants those grand jury transcripts to prove it. 

Desmond was back in one of the courtrooms where he once prosecuted drug dealers and killers.

But now he's here to battle it out in court with the man who fired him.  Paul Gains.

It's an unusual case since Mahoning County's Chief Prosecutor is actually the defendant.

Attorney Sandhya Gupta with the Chandra Law Firm in Cleveland represents Desmond, "What we have here is the county's highest ranking law enforcement officer repeatedly allowing innocent individuals to be indicted based on insufficient evidence."

As part of a civil lawsuit alleging defamation, false light and intimidation of a witness -- Desmond is asking the judge to unseal grand jury testimony in at five cases, claiming the transcripts will reveal a systemic problem and call into question the Prosecutor's creditability.

"They will impeach Mr. Gains' claim that he fully investigated the misconduct that Mr. Desmond reported, and that he -- Mr. Gains found no misconduct by other employees," Attorney Gupta said.

But Independent Special Prosecutor Matthew Meyer, appointed to represent the Grand Jury Process argues this is about protecting grand jury secrecy, not opening it up because of a squabble between two men that led to a firing.

"Is this litigation being used as a subterfuge for some sort of personal vindication against his former employer to cause humiliation, to attack him for his own conduct," Special Prosecutor Meyer said.

A source close to Gains' office says, "How could questioning just five cases in 22 years result in a quote:  "systemic" problem?"

The judge is taking the issue under advisement, but is allowing the Independent Special Prosecutor to view the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings.

By the way, the Independent Special Prosecutor on this case was also on the Oak Hill Renaissance case.  It's been questioned by Desmond's attorneys if he has a "conflict of interest" since Gains' Office asked that special prosecutors be appointed in the Oak Hill case.  The judge disagreed and appointed Meyer who is from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office.