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Man charge of murderous assault shooting charlie kirk may appear in court Wearing street clothes but must be physically restricted due to safety concerns, a judge The verdict was announced on Monday.
Attorneys for 22-year-old Tyler Robinson argued that photos of him in shackles and prison clothes would be widely spread in a case with extensive press coverage and public interest, which they said could adversely affect future jurors.
Judge Tony Graf agreed to some measures to protect the presumption of Robinson’s innocence before the trial, agreeing that the case had attracted “extraordinary” public and media attention.
“Mr. Robinson will be framed as someone who will be presumed innocent,” Graf said during a virtual court hearing.
utah Prosecutors have charged Robinson with murder in the Sept. 10 shooting death of a conservative activist on a Utah college campus, and plan to seek the death penalty.
While Robinson has no prior criminal history, Graff said the charges he faces are extremely serious and create safety concerns in the courtroom.
Protecting attorneys, court staff and Robinson herself during an emotional hearing is the court’s top priority, Graf said before denying Robinson’s request to appear without restriction. However, they prevented members of the media from taking photographs or filming Robinson’s actions.
Robinson is accused of firing a fatal gunshot at Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who works to sway young voters toward conservatism, from the roof of a crowded courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.
He was arrested the next night when he arrived with his parents at the sheriff’s office in his hometown in southwestern Utah, more than a three-hour drive from the shooting scene, to surrender.
While law enforcement agencies were scouring the state searching for the shooter, Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby said he received a call from a retired deputy saying he knew who killed Kirk.
Robinson’s family reached out to the retired deputy, whom they knew through his involvement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and worked with him to help negotiate a peaceful surrender.
“Part of the negotiation to get him to bring himself in was that we would treat it as delicate and soft as possible so that he would feel comfortable with where he looked in my office,” Brooksby said just after the arrest.
Prosecutors have since uncovered incriminating text messages and DNA evidence they say linked Robinson to the murder.
Robinson reportedly texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”
Graf ordered Robinson to appear for his first in-person public hearing on January 16 and January 30. He appeared on a black screen from jail on Monday and spoke only to confirm that he was present.