CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — It was one of those days for Para snowboarding veteran Cécile Hernandez — one of those Friday the 13th kind of days.
The 51-year-old Frenchwoman was among the favorites to win the banked slalom race at the Milan Cortina Paralympics on Friday but when she missed the podium by finishing fourth it was the last straw.
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Silver medalist Kate Delson, of the United States, from left, gold medalist Cecile Hernandez, of France, and bronze medalist Wang Xinyu, of China, pose after the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Silver medalist Kate Delson, of the United States, from left, gold medalist Cecile Hernandez, of France, and bronze medalist Wang Xinyu, of China, pose after the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Cecile Hernandez, of France, stands on the podium after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Cecile Hernandez, of France, reacts after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Cecile Hernandez, of France, approaches the finish line in her second run of the snowboard women's banked slalom sb-ll2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
“It has been a (expletive) day since the start," Hernandez said. “I lost my mouthguard, I spilled my coffee, we got the wrong board this morning because we forgot the board. It was just a succession of crazy things and I even wonder how I managed to finish third after the first run.”
She appeared to be crying while she passed through the media area and gestured as if not understanding what happened during her run. A member of the French team patted her on the back to console her.
“I am someone who believes a lot in the universe and everything. And I tried to change the frequency of the universe," Hernandez said. “I tried, but no. It’s Friday the 13th."
A couple of days ago, Hernandez was crying at the top of the podium after winning her second Paralympic gold medal and celebrating it with her 18-year-old daughter who is also in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Victoire-Eléonore wept profusely during that ceremony, and she was crying again this time.
“Emotionally, I am done. I just saw my daughter crying, that’s all I didn’t want," Hernandez said. “I wanted to have her cry with joy and not like this. But she told me, ‘I am proud.’ I wanted to make another podium.”
Hernandez, whose disability stems from multiple sclerosis, was chosen as France's flag bearer in the Paralympic opening ceremony. She also won gold in Para snowboard cross at the 2022 Beijing Games. In the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, she won a silver in Para snowboard banked slalom and a bronze in snowboard cross. She also won a silver in snowboard cross at the 2014 Sochi Paralympics.
AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
Silver medalist Kate Delson, of the United States, from left, gold medalist Cecile Hernandez, of France, and bronze medalist Wang Xinyu, of China, pose after the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Cecile Hernandez, of France, stands on the podium after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Cecile Hernandez, of France, reacts after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Cecile Hernandez, of France, approaches the finish line in her second run of the snowboard women's banked slalom sb-ll2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
PROVO, Utah (AP) — The man accused of killing Charlie Kirk on a Utah college campus was back in court Friday as a state judge weighs whether certain documents and proceedings should be open to the public.
The outcome will set the stage for an April hearing in which attorneys for Tyler Robinson will make their case to exclude TV cameras, microphones and photographers from the courtroom.
Judge Tony Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by defense attorneys that the media attention could undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial. Prosecutors, Kirk’s widow and attorneys for news organizations have urged Graf to keep the proceedings open.
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
Attorneys on Friday debated whether the defense's written request to exclude cameras, which was classified by the court as private, should be made public.
Staci Visser, an attorney for Robinson, told the judge that the defense is not arguing in the court of public opinion.
“There seems to be an idea that flooding the public sphere with information from this courtroom will somehow dispel conspiracy theories or shift public narratives. That, in and of itself, is concerning to the defense,” Visser said. “All we should be worried about is protecting what happens in this courtroom.”
Robinson’s defense team went on to say that an upcoming hearing will involve discussions about prejudicial pretrial publicity — for example, evidence that has yet to be admitted, confessions, personal opinions about guilt or public statements that would otherwise be inadmissible in court.
“We don’t want to be in that position of bringing in front of the court all of this prejudicial information and having the press regurgitate it yet one more time, and reinflicting a wound that we’re seeking to avoid,” defense attorney Michael Burt said.
Christopher Ballard, a prosecutor with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, dismissed those arguments. He said careful questioning during jury selection and tools like expanding the jury pool can ensure a defendant gets a fair trial.
“So just saying that this a content tornado or there's been a barrage of media coverage doesn't necessarily mean that there is going to be prejudice to the defendant,” Ballard said.
Ballard also said most of the evidence that will be discussed at the April 17 hearing is already public, so most of it should be open. But he agreed with the defense that parts of the hearing concerning personal privacy should be closed.
The judge will decide whether the hearing will be open or partially closed.
Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, are fighting to preserve media access in the case.
Media access has been a focal point of several recent hearings, with the judge placing temporary restrictions on local TV stations for showing Robinson's shackles in violation of a court order and filming close-up shots that might allow viewers to interpret what he was discussing with his attorneys.
The judge also has prevented full video recordings of Kirk’s shooting from being shown in court after defense attorneys argued the graphic footage would interfere with a fair trial. An estimated 3,000 people attended the outdoor rally to hear Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA who helped mobilize young people to vote for President Donald Trump.
Prosecutors have said DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing.
At a hearing in February, the judge declined to disqualify the local county attorney’s office from prosecuting the case after the defense argued there was a conflict of interest because a prosecutor’s daughter was present when Kirk was shot.
Prosecuting and defense attorneys and defendant Tyler Robinson, right, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, attend a hearing in 4th District Court, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)
Prosecutor Chad Grunander, center, listens, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)
Attorney Richard Novak, left, and defendant Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, attend a hearing, in 4th District Court, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool
Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf presides, Friday, March. 13, 2026, in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, during a hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP, Pool)
FILE - Tyler Robinson, who is accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court, in Provo, Utah, Dec. 11, 2025. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool, File)
FILE - Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf presides over a hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in 4th District Court, Feb. 3, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool, File)
