Robinson’s trial is expected to be one of the most closely watched criminal cases of the year, after the public killing of Kirk sent shockwaves through politics last year. Authorities say Robinson had claimed Kirk spread “too much hate” and that his family noted Robinson had espoused increasingly left-wing views, including on transgender ideology, in recent years.
A Utah judge denied a bid by Tyler Robinson’s lawyers on Friday to block cameras from the courtroom for his upcoming trial on murder charges for allegedly killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Judge Tony Graf denied Robinson’s request to bar cameras and microphones from the courtroom, rejecting arguments that allowing media access would harm Robinson’s right to a fair trial but accepting his motion to delay the preliminary hearing originally scheduled for later this month.
“Although electronic media coverage is not protected by the Constitution, neither does the Constitution ban electronic media simply because there is a danger that, in some cases, prejudicial broadcast accounts of pre-trial and trial events may impair the ability of jurors to decide the issue of guilt or innocence uninfluenced by extraneous matter,” Graf noted.
“Electronic media coverage provides a means to facilitate the public’s right of access to court proceedings for those who cannot physically occupy the limited space available in a courtroom,” Graf remarked.
During the trial, Robinson will face multiple charges for his alleged assassination of Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus in September. The maximum punishment for the charges against Robinson includes the death penalty.
