Utah Judge Tony Graf ruled that prosecutor Christopher Ballard breached court rules by speaking to the media about evidence in the case involving the murder of Charlie Kirk.
Despite the violation, the court maintained that the death penalty remains an option for the suspect.
The legal dispute arose after Ballard spoke to the media to clarify conflicting reports regarding ballistics evidence. Robinson’s defence lawyers had previously claimed that forensic tests failed to match the bullet to the rifle allegedly used in the shooting.
While the judge did not penalise the prosecutor for clarifying the forensic data, he found fault with Ballard telling media outlets that his team possessed enough evidence to secure a conviction.
In March, Ballard stated that although the ballistics results were inconclusive, the state had ample evidence to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Tyler Robinson committed the murder.
He promised to present the evidence at the preliminary hearing and subsequent trial.
According to Judge Graf, the prosecutor’s public comments have now complicated the legal process, forcing the court to implement extra screening steps during jury selection to avoid jurors influenced by the media reports.
As a penalty for the infraction, the judge ordered the prosecution to pay the legal fees incurred by Robinson’s defense lawyers for filing the contempt motion.
