Judge Graf Vows Fair Process in Tyler Robinson Prosecution
Fourth District Court Judge Tony F. Graf Jr. has affirmed his commitment to ensuring a just legal process for Tyler Robinson, the man accused in the shooting of Charlie Kirk. This declaration comes amid public calls for the death penalty from prominent figures, including Utah Governor Spencer cox and former President Donald Trump.
Judge Graf, according to his biography on the state courts’ website, has a diverse legal background. Prior to his judgeship, he led the special victims unit in the Utah County Attorney’s Office and served as a deputy district attorney for Salt Lake County. His experience also includes roles as assistant attorney general in American Samoa, a deputy district attorney in Lincoln County, Nevada, and special assistant for the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington D.C. He previously served as president of the utah Minority Bar Association.
Robinson, who has been persistent unable to afford private counsel, will be represented by a court-appointed legal team. Last week, the Utah County Commission approved a contract for attorney Deborah Nester to represent him. Nester has experience in capital cases, having been lead or co-counsel in nine aggravated murder cases, including a federal case in Utah.
Supporting Nester are two California attorneys specializing in death penalty defense: Michael N. Burt, a resource counsel for federal death penalty cases sence 2001, and Richard G. Novak, who has been lead or co-counsel in over 25 death-eligible cases in federal courts across Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, and California.
Utah County officials estimate the prosecution and defense of Robinson’s case could exceed $1 million. The prosecution team includes Utah County Attorneys Ryan McBride, Lauren Hunt, and David Sturgill, all with experience in homicide and sex crimes. Chris ballard, another deputy Utah County Attorney, previously focused on criminal appeals for the Utah attorney general’s office.
Judge Graf’s statement addresses concerns raised after Governor Cox called for the death penalty on two occasions – the day of the shooting and the following evening, before Robinson’s booking. Former President Trump also publicly advocated for Robinson’s execution on September 12th, the day of his arrest.
Utah defense attorney Mark Moffat, not involved in the case, previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that such statements create “public pressure and public expectation that the death penalty is going to be pursued.” Utah County Attorney David Gray, announcing the charges and intent to pursue the death penalty, stated his decision was made “independently…based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime.”
