Overview
- District Court Judge Tony Graf on Friday found Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard in civil contempt for media comments that went beyond permitted corrections to an ATF ballistics summary.
- Ballard told outlets including TMZ that prosecutors had “ample evidence” against Tyler Robinson while also disputing reports that an ATF test exonerated Robinson, and the judge said those statements risked prejudicing potential jurors.
- Graf ordered the prosecution to reimburse Robinson’s legal fees for litigating the contempt motion and warned that future publicity violations could prompt additional sanctions.
- The judge rejected the defense’s request to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, saying such a remedy would be legally improper and disproportionate in a civil contempt proceeding.
- A five-day public preliminary hearing is set for July 6–10 where the court will accept hearsay and prerecorded testimony and the judge will use expanded juror questionnaires, a larger pool, and limits on personal electronics to reduce publicity effects.