The man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the middle of a college event looked calm and chuckled with his lawyers as he appeared for the first time in person in a Utah court — with his family in the gallery.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was brought into the Provo courtroom wearing a simple blue button down and tie as his lawyers prepared to argue that media shouldn’t be allowed to film his hearings by claiming they could potentially taint a jury.
Judge Tony Graf allowed cameras to film for part of Thursday’s proceedings. The judge said he would hear from both sides behind closed doors and then open the courtroom back up to the public afterward. Even Robinson’s family was barred from the secret hearing, despite his lawyers request the kin be allowed to remain.
Robinson looked calm behind the defendant’s table flanked by his attorneys, and even smiled as he appeared to whisper joking comments to one before the hearing began.
His father, mother and brother all joined him in the courtroom for the hearing.
Robinson is accused of shooting the 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder on Sept. 10, as he was speaking at Utah Valley University in front of a crowd of thousands.
Kirk — a father of two credited with galvanizing young conservatives — was struck once in the neck and bled out while the horrified crowd looked on in a scene that shook the country as videos of the murder from varying angles boomeranged around the internet.
Robinson is facing charges of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child.
He fought to be able to wear civilian clothes in court, a request Judge Graf granted at the last hearing in October, which was over the phone.
But Graf said Robinson must remain shackled — citing the safety of those in court — and instructed the media not to capture images of the restraints.
Robinson’s push to have cameras removed from the court has been supported by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office – but Kirk’s widow Erika has been vocal about allowing the country to see her husband’s accused killer.
The alleged killer was arrested 33 hours after Kirk’s murder when his father turned him in after images of the suspect were circulated online.
Robinson admitted to the killing in text messages between him and his trans live-in lover, according to investigators.
He also allegedly described the location where he stashed the bolt-action rifle used to kill Kirk. Robinson has not submitted a plea, and faces death by firing squad if convicted.
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