Man accused of killing Charlie Kirk makes first court appearance

The 22-year-old man charged with the killing of US activist Charlie Kirk made his first appearance in court on Thursday.

Lawyers for Tyler Robinson are also pushing to limit media access to the high-profile criminal case.

Prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder in the shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus on September 10.

They plan to seek the death penalty.

Robinson, 22, arrived amid heavy security, shackled at the waist, wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie and slacks.

He smiled at family members sitting in the front row of the courtroom, where his mother teared up after he entered the court.

Next to her were Robinson’s brother and father, who took notes throughout the hearing.

Early in the proceedings, state District Court Judge Tony Graf briefly stopped livestreaming of the hearing via a media pool and required the camera to be moved, after Robinson’s attorneys said the stream showed the defendant’s shackles in violation of a courtroom order.

Mr Graf said he would terminate future broadcasts if there were further violations of the order, which prevents the media from showing images of Robinson in restraints or anywhere in the courtroom except sitting at the defence table.

Mr Graf said: “This court takes this very seriously. While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case.”

The judge is weighing the public’s right to know details about Robinson’s case against his lawyers’ concerns that the swarm of media attention could interfere with a fair trial.

Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office have asked Mr Graf to ban cameras in the courtroom, but he has not yet ruled on the request.

The defendant had previously appeared before the court via video or audio feed from jail.

A coalition of national and local news organisations, including The Associated Press, is fighting to preserve media access in the case.

Mr Graf held a closed hearing on October 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson’s courtroom attire and security protocols.

Under a subsequent ruling, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes during pre-trial hearings but must be physically restrained due to security concerns.

Mr Graf also prohibited the media from filming or photographing Robinson’s restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice future jurors.

Several university students who witnessed Mr Kirk’s assassination attended Thursday’s hearing.

Zack Reese, a Utah Valley University student and “big Charlie Kirk fan”, said he had scepticism about Robinson’s arrest and came to the hearing seeking answers.

Mr Reese has family in southwestern Utah, where the Robinsons are from, and said he believes they’re a good family.

Brigham Young University student William Brown, who said he was about 10 feet from Mr Kirk when he was shot, said he felt overwhelmed seeing Robinson walk into the courtroom.

“I witnessed a huge event, and my brain is still trying to make sense of it,” Mr Brown said.

“I feel like being here helps it feel more real than surreal.”

Michael Judd, an attorney for the media coalition, has urged Mr Graf to let the news organisations weigh in on any future requests for closed hearings or other limitations.

The media presence at Utah hearings is already limited, with judges often designating one photographer and one videographer to document a hearing and share their images with other news organisations.

Additional journalists can typically attend to listen and take notes, as can members of the public.

Mr Judd wrote in recent filings that an open court “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings.

Criminal cases in the US have long been open to the public, which he argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters as they work to keep the public informed.

Mr Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has called for full transparency, saying: “We deserve to have cameras in there.”

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Her husband was an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism.

Robinson’s legal team says his pre-trial publicity reaches as far as the White House, with Mr Trump announcing soon after Robinson’s arrest, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” and “I hope he gets the death penalty”.

Defence attorney Kathy Nester has raised concerns that digitally altered versions of Robinson’s initial court photo have spread widely, creating misinformation about the case.

Some altered images show Robinson crying or having an outburst in court, which did not happen.