Alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson to make first in-person court appearance

PROVO, Utah – The antheral accused of assassinating Turning Point USA laminitis Charlie Kirk is acceptable to marque his archetypal in-person tribunal quality Thursday, astir 3 months aft helium was taken into custody. 

The proceeding marks the astir important measurement successful the lawsuit truthful acold and comes amid increasing concerns from media outlets and from Kirk’s widow astir the expanding secrecy surrounding the proceedings.

Tyler Robinson, charged with aggravated execution and aggregate related felonies successful Kirk’s fatal shooting during a Sept. 10 lawsuit astatine Utah Valley University, has appeared via video oregon audio from jailhouse successful erstwhile tribunal hearings. Since then, overmuch of the lawsuit has unfolded down closed doors, prompting a conjugation of media organizations, including Fox News, to request greater transparency. 

That conjugation requested that prosecutors and defence attorneys beryllium required to springiness beforehand announcement whenever they question to seal filings oregon restrict nationalist entree truthful that those limits tin beryllium challenged earlier taking effect.

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Tyler Robinson appears virtually successful Utah tribunal connected Sept. 16, 2025, to look charges successful the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (Utah State Courts)

Legal expert and California-based proceedings lawyer Roger Bonakdar said the melodramatic displacement successful transparency has been striking from the start. 

"It has been beauteous unusual that the accusation pat was astatine afloat blast for a small portion and present it's wholly unopen off," helium said. "It's truly benignant of inconsistent with however you spot cases determination guardant typically."

Bonakdar said authorities were unusually forthcoming aboriginal successful the investigation, releasing details that prosecutors typically clasp back.

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"When they archetypal arrested Tyler Robinson, the accusation pat was astatine afloat blast," helium said. "They told america that they had audio recordings from Tyler Robinson and a purported confession. They told america that determination was video footage from a section accelerated nutrient restaurant. They were very, precise astir oversharing successful the beginning." 

But helium said that openness abruptly ended. 

"Now they've unopen that pat disconnected and they're saying you can't adjacent travel to tribunal and perceive astir what we're doing erstwhile astir of it's astir apt procedural," helium continued.

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Because prosecutors proceeded by indictment alternatively than complaint, helium noted, the nationalist volition not spot a preliminary hearing, and substantive grounds whitethorn lone look if the defence files definite motions months down the road.

The propulsion for transparency intensified aft some sides jointly moved to classify the audio and transcript from a closed Oct. 24 proceeding arsenic "private." That league focused connected courthouse-security questions and however Robinson should look successful tribunal going forward. 

Media organizations argued the nationalist has a close to cognize erstwhile records are being sealed and to situation those limitations successful existent time.

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Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk is seated successful the signaling country for 'The Charlie Kirk Show' during an exclusive interrogation with Fox News' Jesse Watters that volition aerial Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Jesse Watters Primetime)

Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, voiced concerns past period astir the shrinking visibility astir the case. She questioned wherefore the fishy is being shielded from cameras erstwhile her hubby was killed successful beforehand of a crowd. 

"There were cameras each implicit my hubby erstwhile helium was murdered," she told Fox News' Jesse Watters successful an exclusive interview. "There person been cameras each implicit my friends and household mourning. There person been cameras each implicit me, analyzing my each move, analyzing my each smile, my each tear. We merit to person cameras successful there."

Bonakdar said her absorption is understandable, explaining, "Erika's sentiments are readily understandable. She's a grieving widow and, you know, our hearts each spell retired to her."

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At the aforesaid time, helium said the tribunal is nether immense unit fixed the governmental and nationalist value of the case. 

"This process has go analyzable due to the fact that of however important Charlie was," helium said. "This is simply a precise politically charged case. There are precise precocious emotions successful this case. And there's besides issues of tainting the assemblage pool."

He explained that judges indispensable equilibrium the First Amendment rights of the media with the request to sphere the integrity of the trial, saying, "Court proceedings are expected to beryllium unfastened and public… but you bash person immoderate existent issues with however the nationalist is going to entree this accusation arsenic to the consequences for the integrity of the trial."

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Judge Tony Graf speaks to lawyer Greg Skordas, not shown, who appeared connected behalf of Utah County, arsenic Tyler Robinson, 22, the fishy successful the shooting decease of Charlie Kirk, appeared by camera connected Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, for his archetypal quality successful Provo, Utah. (Scott G Winterton/Pool via Deseret News)

The justice has ordered that Thursday’s proceeding beryllium held successful idiosyncratic and unfastened to the nationalist arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, though nary details from the Oct. 24 proceeding whitethorn beryllium disclosed. If the proceeding transitions into a closed session, the media coalition’s lawyer whitethorn stay successful the courtroom but whitethorn not stock immoderate information of the sealed treatment with immoderate outlet oregon client.

The tribunal has besides imposed strict guidelines connected however Robinson whitethorn beryllium shown. He cannot beryllium photographed oregon filmed successful shackles and whitethorn lone beryllium depicted portion seated. Images of his household members are prohibited, and reporters indispensable comply with the court’s decorum order.

These restrictions reflector earlier rulings, including the postponement of a anterior proceeding aft disputes implicit whether Robinson could look successful jailhouse attire and however that mightiness power nationalist perception.

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Bonakdar said specified concerns are rooted successful fairness. 

"Courts oftentimes volition prohibit the media from depicting the suspect successful shackles oregon successful jailhouse covering due to the fact that it creates this inference of guilt," helium explained. 

Appearing restrained, helium said, tin pb jurors to presumption a suspect arsenic unsafe oregon blameworthy earlier immoderate grounds is presented. Still, helium noted the restrictions whitethorn person constricted interaction successful specified a wide covered case.

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"Anybody who does a Google hunt volition know… astatine immoderate constituent it whitethorn beryllium an workout successful futility. Is the harm already done?"

Robinson’s constricted carnal appearances person raised questions arsenic well. Bonakdar said the astir apt mentation for keeping him connected video is security. 

"They're gonna accidental that Tyler Robinson is simply a information risk… he's astatine hazard for being deed by idiosyncratic who wants to question revenge," helium said. While helium acknowledged the reasoning, helium added that it is "very intelligibly a deviation from the norm."

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Despite nationalist vexation with the gait of the case, Bonakdar said the timeline is emblematic for a homicide case, peculiarly 1 successful which prosecutors mean to question the decease penalty.

"The timing of the lawsuit is really precise accordant with the severity of the allegation," helium said. Murder cases "move precise slowly," helium added, particularly erstwhile prosecutors proceed by indictment alternatively than complaint.

He said Thursday’s proceeding volition beryllium constrictive successful scope but significant.

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"It’s going to beryllium somewhat of a one-trick pony," helium said. "It’s going to beryllium astir this anterior sealing order." 

The court, helium said, acceptable the proceeding "specially" to code media objections claiming the secrecy violates First Amendment protections.

Whether Thursday’s proceeding brings clarity oregon adds much restrictions remains to beryllium seen, but Bonakdar noted that the nationalist deserves to recognize astatine slightest the procedural posture of the lawsuit arsenic it moves dilatory toward trial, which helium cautioned could inactive beryllium a twelvemonth oregon much away.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].