A judge ruled that the man accused of assassinating right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk will be allowed to wear street clothes. However, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson must be physically restrained.
Judge Tony Graf made the decision during a virtual court hearing Monday.
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Kirk was assassinated during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Robinson later surrendered to police after a 33-hour manhunt.
Prosecutors charged him with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of witness tampering and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. Utah County attorney Jeff Gray said they will seek the death penalty in this case.
What did the judge rule?
Graf said he chose to allow Robinson to wear street clothes after the defense argued images of Robinson shackled and in jail clothing would spread and could impact potential jurors. He agreed that the case drew “extraordinary” public and media attention.
“Balancing these factors, the court finds that Mr. Robinson’s right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the minimal inconvenience of permitting civilian attire,” Graf said.
However, Graf did not allow Robinson to be unshackled. He said because of the serious nature of the charges, Robinson presents safety concerns. Despite his decision, Graf also barred the media from photographing and filming Robinson in his shackles.
“The emotional nature of these proceedings also raise the risk of disruption,” he added. “Given these factors, the defendant’s request to appear without restraints is denied.”
What happens next?
Robinson did not appear in court for Monday’s hearing, instead opting to videocall in from jail. However, his screen was blacked out, and he only spoke to confirm he was present.
Graf ordered Robinson to appear for his first in-person public hearings on Jan. 16 and 30. The judge has not set a date for the trial.
