A Utah judge on Friday denied some efforts by defense attorneys to restrict public access to court documents in the case accusing Tyler Robinson of killing Charlie Kirk, according to court proceedings described by The Associated Press. Judge Tony Graf said he would keep weighing factors when deciding whether any parts of an upcoming hearing should be closed.
The ruling sets the stage for an April hearing in which Robinson’s attorneys plan to argue to exclude TV cameras, microphones and photographers from the courtroom. Graf’s decision on Friday did not rule out the possibility of closing portions of that later hearing, but it rejected the defense’s request to keep a motion classified as private.
Prosecutors, Kirk’s widow, and attorneys for news organizations urged Graf to keep the proceedings open. They argued that public access to what happens in court should not be curtailed ahead of the death-penalty phase considerations that prosecutors have outlined for the case.
The defense’s filings and debate in court also centered on whether the written request at issue should remain private even if the judge is deciding later whether to limit media coverage. Before Graf ruled, defense attorney Staci Visser told the judge the defense was not seeking a change in the court of public opinion.
Visser said, “There seems to be an idea that flooding the public sphere with information from this courtroom will somehow dispel conspiracy theories or shift public narratives. That, in and of itself, is concerning to the defense.” She added, “All we should be worried about is protecting what happens in this courtroom.”
Robinson’s attorneys said the April 17 hearing would involve discussions tied to prejudicial pretrial publicity, including evidence that had not yet been admitted, personal opinions about guilt, and public statements that would be inadmissible in court. Defense attorney Michael Burt said revisiting those issues in open court could harm Robinson’s rights, characterizing it as “reinflicting a wound” to the defendant.
Christopher Ballard, a prosecutor with the Utah County Attorney’s Office, rejected the defense position. Ballard said careful questioning during jury selection and measures such as expanding the jury pool could help ensure Robinson receives a fair trial, and he argued that the existence of intense coverage does not automatically translate into legal prejudice.
Ballard said, “So just saying that this is a content tornado or there’s been a barrage of media coverage doesn’t necessarily mean that there is going to be prejudice to the defendant.” He also said that most of what prosecutors plan to discuss in April is already public, and therefore “most of the hearing should be open.”
Attorneys representing national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, have challenged media-access limits in the case. Michael Judd, an attorney for the news media, urged Graf to keep the upcoming hearing entirely open.
Media access has been a point of contention in prior proceedings, including the judge placing temporary restrictions on local TV stations after disputes over showing Robinson’s shackles. The judge also prevented full video recordings of Kirk’s shooting from being played in court, after defense attorneys argued that the graphic footage could interfere with a fair trial.
The case stems from the Sept. 10 shooting of Kirk, a conservative activist and ally of President Donald Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson, 22, who has not yet entered a plea. They said DNA evidence connects Robinson to the killing. An estimated 3,000 people attended an outdoor rally to hear Kirk.
In the latest hearing, Graf’s balancing approach left the question of how much media access will be allowed in April unresolved, with the court indicating it will continue weighing the public’s right to know against concerns raised by defense attorneys about a fair trial.