Suspect in Charlie Kirk Assassination Makes First In-Person Court Appearance with a Smirk on his face, filled with Confidence that he will be granted bail Amid Growing Agitations From Democrats, Who Feel…See more…

Suspect in Charlie Kirk Assassination Makes First In-Person Court Appearance

A group of local and national news outlets, including The Associated Press, is pushing to retain media access throughout the defendant’s criminal case.

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Charlie Kirk Assassination

Suspect in Charlie Kirk Assassination Makes First In-Person Court Appearance

A group of local and national news outlets, including The Associated Press, is pushing to retain media access throughout the defendant’s criminal case.

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Suspect in Charlie Kirk Assassination Makes First In-Person Court Appearance

Tyler Robinson, accused of the murder of Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court in Provo, Utah, on Dec. 11, 2025. Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool

Jacob Burg

Jacob Burg

12/11/2025|Updated: 12/12/2025

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Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk earlier this year, appeared in court in person for the first time on Dec. 11 as the judge considers how much access the media will have in the prominent criminal case.

The state of Utah has charged Robinson, 22, with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of Kirk during an event at the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. The school is located several miles away from the courthouse in Provo, where Robinson appeared on Thursday.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and Robinson’s defense team—along with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office—is asking Judge Tony Graf not to allow cameras in the courtroom.

Graf is considering how many details in the case the public should be exposed to, as Robinson’s attorneys argue that the high-profile media attention could impede his right to receive a fair trial.

A group of local and national news outlets, including The Associated Press, is pushing to retain media access throughout Robinson’s criminal case.

Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has also advocated for transparency throughout the proceedings.

“We deserve to have cameras in there,” she said previously.

The judge closed one of the hearings on Thursday so that he could consider what “should or should not be” sealed or protected without the cameras turned on. During the closed hearing, Graf discussed the defendant’s courtroom attire and ongoing security protocols with attorneys.

Robinson’s defense team requested that his family be allowed to attend the closed hearing, which also included an audio recording of a closed hearing from Oct. 14. Graf ultimately ruled with prosecutors and excluded them from the closed hearing “given the nature and the sensitivity of it.”

At the beginning of the proceedings on Thursday, Robinson arrived at the courtroom wearing a dress shirt with a tie and pants and was restrained with handcuffs on his wrists and ankles. The defendant briefly smiled at his father, brother, and mother, who were sitting in the front row of the courtroom.

During Robinson’s previous court hearings, he appeared via a video or audio feed from his jail cell.

In calling for limited media access in the criminal case, the defense team has argued that Robinson’s publicity in these pre-trial hearings extends to the White House.

President Donald Trump had said after the suspect’s arrest that “I hope he gets the death penalty.”

A defense attorney for Robinson has also expressed concern that digitally altered versions of Robinson’s photo have led to misinformation in the case.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.