Man Charged in Kirk's Death Goes to Court

The 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday as his attorneys push to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case. A Utah judge is weighing the public's right to know details in the prosecution of Tyler Robinson against his attorneys' concerns that the swarm of media attention could interfere with his right to a fair trial. Robinson's legal team and the Utah County Sheriff's Office have asked Judge Tony Graf to prohibit cameras in the courtroom, the AP reports. Prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. Developments include:

• In court: Robinson arrived with restraints on his wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie, and slacks. He smiled at family members sitting in the front row of the courtroom, where his mother teared up and wiped her eyes with a tissue. Robinson's father and brother sat next to her. The defendant had previously appeared in court via video or audio feed from jail.
• Coverage issues: A coalition of national and local news organizations, including the AP, is fighting to preserve media access in the case. The judge has already made allowances to protect Robinson's presumption of innocence before a trial. Graf held a closed hearing on Oct. 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson's courtroom attire and security protocols. Under a subsequent ruling, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes in court during his pretrial hearings but must be physically restrained for security reasons. Graf also prohibited media from filming or photographing Robinson's restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice future jurors.

• Media response: Michael Judd, an attorney for the media coalition, has urged Graf to let the news organizations weigh in on any future requests for closed hearings or other limitations. The media presence at Utah hearings is already limited, with judges often designating one photographer and one videographer to document a hearing and share their images with other news organizations. Additional journalists can typically attend to listen and take notes, as can members of the public. Judd wrote in recent filings that an open court "safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process" while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. Criminal cases in the US have long been open to the public, which he argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters as they work to keep the public informed.
• Erika Kirk's response: Kirk's widow has called for full transparency, saying, "We deserve to have cameras in there." Her husband was an ally of President Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism. Robinson's legal team says pretrial publicity reaches as far as the White House, with Trump announcing soon after Robinson's arrest, "With a high degree of certainty, we have him," and "I hope he gets the death penalty."