Suspected Charlie Kirk assassin fights how much public can see
The accused assassin of Charlie Kirk is due remotely in court Monday for a hearing on how much access the public should have as his capital case proceeds in Provo, Utah.
Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of firing a single shot from a rooftop overlooking a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, striking the 31-year-old conservative speaker in the neck as he fielded questions from people in the audience in a courtyard at the heart of campus.
The hearing is expected to address two issues — whether transcripts from a sealed hearing earlier this year should be made public and the extent of access the media and public should have to the case going forward.
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A group of local and national media outlets, including Fox News, have filed a motion for limited intervention. Lawyers for the group are asking Judge Tony Graf Jr. for formal recognition from the court, advance notice of attempts to seal future hearings or otherwise limit access to the courtroom, including by banning cameras, and to give the media time to oppose such restrictions.
Robinson has made only one in-person court appearance since the September slaying, and some of the case has unfolded behind closed doors, prompting the media group to demand greater transparency and the chance to oppose future secretive proceedings.
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Robinson's defense had asked Graf to kick cameras out of the courtroom, but the judge ruled that an outright ban on cameras would be a "disproportionate" response to the defendant's concerns and issued limitations on what can and can't be shown.
Earlier this month, he promised to "be narrow" when weighing what parts of the sealed hearing should remain that way.
"[I would] rather do it right and take more time than to be rash and miss the mark," he said.
Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA to bring conservative voices to college campuses, died from a catastrophic gunshot wound as Robinson allegedly fled into a nearby neighborhood, ditching the suspected murder weapon, a Mauser .30-06 rifle, along the way.
The victim was a married father of two.
The suspected killer returned home to southern Utah, about a four-hour drive, and allegedly confessed to his roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs, and to his parents before turning himself in to Washington County deputies.
Twiggs is cooperating with investigators and has not been charged with a crime. Authorities also credited the parents with helping convince Robinson to surrender.
The accused assassin is due back in court on Jan. 16 in person for a longer hearing. Among the issues to be heard then is a motion from the defense demanding that one of the prosecutors who had a relative present when Kirk was killed to be recused from the case.
Robinson faces seven charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the potential death penalty, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction and witness tampering.
He has not yet entered a plea.
Fox News' Melissa Chrise, Stepheny Price and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.