Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Environmental activist Tim DeChristopher will not go to trial next month. The judge in his federal criminal case postponed a trial that was scheduled for March 15.
Last December, DeChristopher bid up prices by hundreds of thousands of dollars on some parcels and won 13 other parcels while acknowledging he had no intention or capacity to pay $1.7 million for the leases. He was indicted in April on felony charges of interfering with a government auction and making false representations.
The reason behind Tuesday's decision is to hold a hearing on a defense motion arguing that the government is selectively prosecuting DeChristopher. His legal team argues that energy company employees at the auction also made bids they didn't follow through on and they weren't prosecuted.
The judge will hold the hearing on March 15 and will decide whether to reschedule a trial.
-----
Story compiled with contributions from KSL News and The Associated Press.
