salt lake city — The man accused of killing Charlie Kirk wants a judge to do just that Ban cameras from entering the courtroom He says the prosecution’s live broadcast violates his right to a fair trial.
Tyler Robinson is scheduled to appear in court Friday as his attorneys press their claims that biased coverage discredits potential jurors in his aggravated murder case.
Among the many examples cited is a New York Post story that they say suggests Robinson admitted to killing Kirk during a courtroom conversation on December 11, in his letter. First appearance After being accused. The conversation with his attorney was inaudible, but the story cited “lip-reading analysis” to support its claim that Robinson said, “I think about shooting every day.”
“The predominant purpose served by live broadcast coverage was not educational reporting of court proceedings, but rather advertising profit, sensationalism, political agendas, and most importantly, discrediting Mr. Robinson,” his lawyers wrote in their motion to block the cameras.
Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty for Robinson if he is convicted in the case Shooting on September 10 For the conservative activist who was addressing a crowd of thousands in Utah Valley University Campus in Orem.
Robinson, who turned 23 on Thursday, has not yet entered a plea.
The media sensationalism around this issue has cut both ways. In a March 30 headline, the UK-based Daily Mail reported that the bullet that killed Kirk “does not match” a gun allegedly used by Robinson. The story is based on Preliminary results are inconclusive by ballistics experts and led to speculation about Robinson’s possible acquittal. The FBI is conducting additional testing, according to court documents.
Media organizations, prosecutors and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, want the court to allow cameras. They argue that the best way to protect against the misinformation and conspiracy theories that matter to Robinson’s defense team is to make the process transparent.
However, the live media broadcast had already tested Judge Tony Graf’s patience.
During the December hearing, Graf briefly stopped the live feed and ordered the camera moved after him He showed the defendant’s shackles In violation of a courtroom decorum order.
Then, the hearing was halted in January when Robinson’s lawyers said close-up footage of Robinson broadcast live by a local TV station could once again lead to allegations based on lip-reading. This was also a violation of Graff’s rules of decorum. judge Camera operator command Robinson was not filmed for the remainder of the hearing.
Mike Judd, a lawyer for a coalition of media organizations including The Associated Press that has fought to maintain access, said Graf has so far focused on whether his rules inside the courtroom are followed, not what the media says outside of court.
“The court can do all of that in order to try to control what is fed into this media system,” Judd said. “You reduce the likelihood that someone will post things that you think might have biased significance later on.”
Policies regarding cameras and live streaming vary between states, and many, including Utah, give judges discretion over whether to allow cameras. Cameras are generally prohibited in federal courthouses.
“There is Supreme Court precedent that says courts in general should be open to the public, but that’s not an absolute right,” said Tennell Brown, a law professor at the University of Utah. “Even if they allow public access, that does not equal the right to broadcast or record.”
Robinson’s lawyers are seeking to postpone the preliminary hearing in May, when prosecutors must prove they have enough evidence to proceed to trial.
DNA consistent with Robinson’s was found on the gun’s trigger, a fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges and a towel used to wrap the gun, prosecutors said. Defense lawyers point out that forensic reports indicate DNA from multiple people was found on some of the items, which they say requires more complex analysis.
Prosecutors said Robinson texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hate.”
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Brown reported from Billings, Montana.