A Utah judge on Friday held a prosecutor in contempt of court over a string of public statements he determined violated a publicity order in the trial of Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk.

The Turning Point USA founder was fatally shot on Sept. 10, 2025, during an open air event at Utah Valley University. Robinson stands accused of his murder and could face the death penalty, if convicted.

But Judge Tony Graf found that statements prosecutor Christopher Ballard made to media outlets "possessed a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing the proceedings by communicating the prosecutor’s assessment of the defendant’s guilt," CNN reported.

Robinson's defense had asked that the judge take the death penalty off the table, which the judge declined to do.

Kirk's murder sent shockwaves through the conservative movement and prompted a litany of conspiracy theories about his death, though Robinson remains the mainstream suspect.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.