A Utah judge ruled Monday that a 22-year-old man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk may appear in court wearing street clothes but must remain restrained for security reasons.
Attorneys for Tyler Robinson argued that images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice jurors in a case drawing intense media attention.
Judge Tony Graf said Robinson should be treated as “one who is presumed innocent” but cited safety concerns in denying his request to appear unrestrained. Graf barred media from photographing or filming the restraints.
Prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of Kirk at Utah Valley University and plan to seek the death penalty.
Graf said that although Robinson has no criminal history, the charges are serious and the courtroom must remain secure for everyone involved.
Investigators say Robinson shot Kirk, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, from a rooftop overlooking a crowded courtyard on the Orem campus.
He was arrested the next night after arriving with his parents at a sheriff’s office in southwest Utah, more than three hours from the shooting scene, to surrender.
Sheriff Nate Brooksby said Robinson’s family coordinated with a retired deputy, a fellow member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to arrange a peaceful surrender.
“Part of the negotiation of getting him to bring himself in was that we would treat it as delicate and as soft as possible,” Brooksby said.
Prosecutors say text messages and DNA evidence link Robinson to the killing. In one message, he allegedly told his partner he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”
Graf scheduled Robinson’s first in-person hearings for Jan. 16 and Jan. 30. He appeared virtually Monday on a blacked-out screen, speaking only to confirm his presence.
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