Lawyers for Tyler Robinson, the accused killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, took issue with the angles a news camera was showing of him as the suspected gunman made his first in-person court appearance Thursday in a Utah court.
Robinson wore civilian clothes in the courtroom, after Judge Tony Graf had previously allowed him to do so for pretrial hearings with a ruling in October, but was still restrained while seated with his lawyers. After starting the hearing in front of cameras, lawyers for Robinson and the prosecution entered a closed hearing to discuss recordings and transcripts of prior hearings. Upon returning to the open courtroom, Robinson’s lawyers took issue with what the camera streaming the proceedings to outside the courtroom picked up.
“It’s our understanding that his shackles are visible. It is also our understanding that potentially some audio from counsel table was heard,” Robinson’s lawyers told the judge, also expressing concern that some of the materials on their desk and computer screens had been captured by the camera.
“I think everybody in this room will agree that’s entirely inappropriate, so we are asking for some remedial measures here. We’re asking for it to terminate for today, and we can proceed after that,” Robinson’s lawyer continued, asking for the video feed to be cut.
A lawyer for media groups, seeking to maintain public access to the court proceedings, apologized for any inadvertent filming of the shackles or of any materials but urged that the camera be allowed to remain in the courtroom.
Graf allowed the camera to remain in the courtroom, but had to move to a different position, away from the table where Robinson and his lawyers were seated. The judge authorized a brief recess to facilitate the move.
“While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case as such, we will take a brief recess to allow the relocation of the camera and to the place indicated by the bailiff, and then we will resume these court proceedings,” Graf said.
Court proceedings continued for another hour, as the parties and Graf discussed multiple pretrial matters.
Robinson faces multiple charges for his alleged assassination of Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus last month. The maximum punishment for the charges levied against Robinson includes the death penalty.
The next pretrial hearing in the case is scheduled for early 2026.