Utah Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf ordered on Monday that audio and transcripts of a closed hearing surrounding Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, can be released with redactions.
In a virtual hearing, Graf ruled that the transcript of a hearing that took place in October can be issued with some redactions in the coming weeks, according to WRAL News. He detailed which lines of the transcript can be redacted, which included security measures.
The judge said that transparency to the public and media was “foundational” to the judicial system, according to WRAL News.
Lawyers for media outlets wrote in a recent filing that allowing full press access “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while properly conducting judicial proceedings, according to WRAL. Graf previously ordered that the media could not publish photographs of Robinson in shackles and stopped a livestream of a hearing earlier in December.
Robinson is charged with one count of aggravated murder, one count of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, two counts of obstruction of justice for hiding the rifle and discarding his clothing, two counts of witness tampering for instructing a roommate to delete texts, and one count of committing a violent offense in front of children. Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray confirmed in September that prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
During his first in-person hearing on Dec. 11, Robinson could be seen smirking while he talked with his attorneys. The hearing focused on transparency and how much information should be shared to the public in order to ensure a fair trial, which prompted Graf to close part of the hearing to the public.
Kirk’s widow, Erika, has pushed for the trial to be open to the public to ensure transparency.
“We deserve to have cameras in there,” Kirk told Fox News in November. “Why not be transparent?”
Two days after killing Kirk, the alleged assassin turned himself in to authorities on Sept. 12 after his parents recognized him in security footage released to the public. Robinson then confessed to the murder and threatened to commit suicide rather than turn himself in, prompting his father to contact a youth pastor who had previously been a law enforcement official. That former law enforcement official then contacted Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby.
Brooksby said during a Sept. 18 press conference that law enforcement promised a “peaceful” surrender as a condition for Robinson turning himself in. Robinson then agreed and arrived at his office with his parents and the youth pastor.
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