Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters held in contempt of court, fined $1,500

By Charles Ashby, The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

GRAND JUNCTION — Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was held in contempt of court Friday for lying to a district court judge about recording proceedings in his courtroom last year.

But instead of getting up to 6 months in jail — or any jail time — Eagle County District Judge Paul Dunkelman handed the Republican a $1,500 fine.

Dunkelman had been assigned the case after local judges recused themselves because the case involved fellow District Judge Matthew Barrett.

Testimony showed that Peters was seen video recording a Feb. 7, 2022, hearing for her former chief deputy, Belinda Knisley, when Knisley was facing felony burglary and misdemeanor cybercrimes charges in relation to her job at the…