PROVO, Utah (AP) — Defense witnesses in the prosecution of the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk said Friday that conjecture in the media over his guilt and depictions of him as a “monster” are making it impossible for Tyler Robinson to get a fair trial.
The pretrial testimony came as Robinson’s attorneys pressed a Utah judge to ban cameras from his case. They said live broadcasts of the proceedings are tainting potential jurors, by feeding into speculative stories based on Robinson's courtroom demeanor and alleged confessions.
Media organizations, prosecutors and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, want the court to allow cameras. They argue transparency is the best way to guard against the misinformation and conspiracy theories that concern Robinson’s defense team.
Robinson’s parents sat behind him for Friday's hearing in a half-full courtroom. His father lowered his head and stared down at his hands while the defense played a Fox News clip in which a commentator identified as a former FBI agent opined that Robinson was a sociopath.
“It's turning outside the courtroom into like a reality TV show,” said defense witness Bryan Edelman, a social psychologist with a California-based trial consulting business. “I think it creates pressure on everybody to have cameras in here, from the jury to everyone involved."
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for Robinson if he is convicted of aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of Kirk. The conservative activist was addressing a crowd of thousands on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem when he was shot in the neck.
Robinson, 23, turned himself in a day after the shooting and has not yet entered a plea. A trial date has not been set. Judge Tony Graf said he would rule May 8 on whether cameras will continue to be allowed.
Cameras moved to the back of the room
Utah County prosecutor Chad Grunander noted that nearly all of the clips shown by the defense as examples of media sensationalism did not include material from the courtroom livestream.
“Mischief lurks in the dark or in secret,” Grunander said. “Let’s shine a light on these proceedings, a bright light, so the public can have confidence in what happens in this courtroom.”
Source: WPLG
