Judge Rules Media, Public Can Attend Hearing for Alleged Charlie Kirk Killer

A Utah judge ruled Monday the media and the public will be allowed to attend parts of an upcoming hearing in the case of the man accused of killing conservative political activist 👤Charlie Kirk.

👤Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of shooting Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus Sept. 10.

He currently faces many charges, including aggravated murder.

State District Judge Tony Graf denied Robinson’s previous request to close all or part of the preliminary hearing.

Graf said Robinson’s attorneys failed to show a public hearing would create a “realistic likelihood” of prejudicing his right to a fair trial.

“The public and the media enjoy a presumptive right to access court proceedings, including preliminary hearings,” he said.

He added there are other methods to protect a defendant’s right to a fair trial. This includes increasing the jury pool, utilizing detailed juror questionnaires and conducting thorough jury selection.

A hearing is scheduled for July 6-10. That is when prosecutors will lay out their evidence and a judge will decide whether the case should go to trial.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea; prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Robinson’s lawyers argued to close parts of the July hearing to reporters and the public. They claim media coverage has misrepresented the case and could make it harder for Robinson to get a fair trial.