Tyler Robinson's lawyers seek camera ban for Sept. 1 hearing, say case is not a 'reality TV show'
Tyler Robinson's attorneys are again asking the judge to ban cameras from the courtroom, this time alleging that cameras and streaming of his upcoming Sept. 1 hearing risk turning the case into a "reality TV show."
"The media presence in the courtroom both distracts and places added pressure on hearing participants to present for the media, as opposed to focusing on the facts, evidence, and mechanics of the hearing," Robinson's attorneys, Kathy Nester, Michael Burt, Richard Novak and Staci Visser, wrote in one of two Saturday court filings. "Mr. Robinson’s case is not and should not be made into a reality TV show."
The defense is arguing that livestreams and other images from the hearing could bias the public against their client by showing evidence that may not be admissible at trial later.
"Specific to the oral argument on the preliminary hearing, the EMC (electronic media coverage) will memorialize and widely disseminate argument discussing the largely hearsay based evidentiary presentation made by the State," the lawyers wrote. "Such evidence is, by its very nature, insufficiently reliable for admission at trial."
Read the filings:
Both of the filings also included redacted paragraphs after Robinson's lawyers alleged that, "Additional evidence of bias developing as a result of the widespread publication of this case can be tracked in real time."
The defense also claimed that witnesses who provided statements that were admitted as "reliable hearsay" ahead of the week-long July preliminary hearing "experienced harassment by media and interested third parties."
Robinson is the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, 31, at a Turning Point USA event in Orem, Utah, last year. Kirk was shot and killed while speaking to a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
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Read the filings:
Separately, a source close to the Kirk family said Tuesday that Kirk's widow Erika, and his parents, Rob and Kathy, all plan to attend the Sept. 1 hearing together as they did during the July hearing.
Judge Tony Graf Jr. will hear oral arguments from both sides regarding the evidence introduced in July and will decide whether there's enough probable cause to justify sending Robinson to trial on the charges against him.
Robinson's defense objected to hearsay evidence from the preliminary hearing and also opposes the sole aggravating factor in the aggravated murder charge that carries the potential death penalty — that Robinson allegedly put other people at great risk of death by shooting Kirk in a crowded place.
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The defense argued that only a single shot was fired, from an elevated position. It traveled over the crowd, rather than through it, and it only struck Kirk.
Prosecutors countered that Robinson was a bad shot, one who "seldom hit the bullseye and sometimes misses the target completely" when practicing shooting with the suspected murder weapon.
Robinson, 23, has not yet entered a plea.