A Utah judge denied a bid by Tyler Robinson’s lawyers on Friday to block cameras from the courtroom for his upcoming trial on murder charges for allegedly killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Judge Tony Graf denied Robinson’s request to bar cameras and microphones from the courtroom, rejecting arguments that allowing media access would harm Robinson’s right to a fair trial but accepting his motion to delay the preliminary hearing originally scheduled for later this month.
“Although electronic media coverage is not protected by the Constitution, neither does the Constitution ban electronic media simply because there is a danger that, in some cases, prejudicial broadcast accounts of pre-trial and trial events may impair the ability of jurors to decide the issue of guilt or innocence uninfluenced by extraneous matter,” Graf said.
“Electronic media coverage provides a means to facilitate the public’s right of access to court proceedings for those who cannot physically occupy the limited space available in a courtroom,” Graf said. “Live streaming in particular, allows as many people as are interested to observe the justice system at work and hold our branches of government accountable to the guarantees of due process.”
Graf delayed the preliminary hearing from May 18, 19, and 21, to “July 6, July 7, the afternoon of July 8, July 9, and July 10, 2026, in order to protect the defendant’s constitutional rights while minimizing unnecessary delay and preserving the fair and impartial administration of justice.”
Last month, during a hearing on the motions, Robinson’s lawyers brought two witnesses to the stand to support their assertion that having cameras in the courtroom would violate his right to a fair trial.
State prosecutors argued that cameras should be allowed to support an “open and transparent” trial to ensure “the public will trust the process,” expressing concern over the mounting conspiracy theories surrounding the case. Graf said at the conclusion of the April 17 hearing that he would balance the public’s right to access to the hearing when considering the motion.
TYLER ROBINSON’S LAWYERS PRESS FOR CAMERA BAN FOR MURDER TRIAL
During the trial, Robinson will face multiple charges for his alleged assassination of Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus in September. The maximum punishment for the charges against Robinson includes the death penalty.
Robinson’s trial is expected to be one of the most closely watched criminal cases of the year, after the public killing of Kirk sent shockwaves through politics last year. Authorities say Robinson had claimed Kirk spread “too much hate” and that his family said Robinson had espoused increasingly left-wing views, including on transgender ideology, in recent years.
