Tyler Robinson’s attorneys urge judge to block death penalty if prosecutors are found in contempt

Key Points:

• Attorneys for Tyler Robinson requested a Utah district court judge to remove the death penalty option, citing a prosecutor's media comments about a bullet fragment that allegedly violated a pretrial publicity order.
• Prosecutor Christopher Ballard spoke to media to clarify an inconclusive ballistics report after a defense filing, but the defense called his comments "extremely reckless" and argued they compromised Robinson's right to a fair trial.
• Ballard and Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray defended the comments, stating they were necessary to address misinformation and were permitted under a professional rule allowing commentary on public information to prevent prejudicial publicity.
• If found in contempt, the defense urged the court to bar the death penalty as the primary remedy, with other penalties including continuing education or referral to the state bar.
• The court also heard arguments on the admissibility of hearsay evidence in the upcoming preliminary hearing, with the judge expected to rule on both the contempt issue and evidence admissibility by June 22.