Supports· strongKRK-E034
The contempt ruling: 'ample evidence' statement crossed the line; ballistics correction did not
- what the source states
- Judge Graf found spokesman/deputy Chris Ballard "in civil contempt" of the pretrial publicity order. Ballard had told TMZ: "We have ample evidence to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Tyler Robinson committed this murder..." Graf ruled Ballard WAS allowed to correct the ballistics misreporting (the defense motion's ATF description was "technically accurate" but "highly prone to misinterpretation"), but the guilt statement violated an order that "was exceptionally clear." The judge quoted precedent: "a prosecutor's opinion of guilt is particularly likely to create prejudice." Sanction: expanded jury pool, adjusted questionnaires, defense costs — not removal of the death penalty ("grossly disproportionate to the misconduct and legally unavailable").
- what we infer
- A formal judicial finding that narrative-management inside the prosecution crossed a legal line — and, in the same ruling, that correcting actual misinformation about the inconclusive ballistics was legitimate. Both halves matter.
- limitations
- The judge expressly did not decide the case's merits.