Utah Judge Holds Prosecutors in Contempt, Keeps Death Penalty in 23-Year-Old's Kirk Murder Trial
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26
Utah Judge Holds Prosecutors in Contempt, Keeps Death Penalty in 23-Year-Old's Kirk Murder Trial
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 26
Summary
Judge Tony Graf held prosecutors in contempt after one told TMZ the state had “ample evidence” to convict Tyler J. Robinson in the Charlie Kirk murder case, violating a gag-style pretrial publicity order.
Graf refused the defense request to strike the death penalty, ruling that removing capital punishment would be “grossly disproportionate” to the violation even in the high-profile case.
Instead, prosecutors must pay the defense’s attorney fees and other costs tied to the contempt filings and a hearing held earlier this month.
The judge also said he may widen jury selection and use added screening to test whether publicity around Kirk’s September killing at Utah Valley University tainted potential jurors.