A Utah judge on Monday pledged that the criminal proceedings against Tyler Robinson will be conducted transparently and in full view of the public, stressing that the rights of the accused and of the victims will be upheld as the high-profile case moves forward.
Robinson, 22, is accused of firing the single rifle shot from a rooftop sniper's perch that claimed the life of conservative leader Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 while Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was addressing a crowd on a university campus in Orem, Utah.
"These proceedings will be open to the public, conducted in accordance with the law, and handled with diligence and competence to ensure that justice is never compromised," Utah 4th District Judge Tony Graf in Provo said from the bench in a Monday hearing that aired on Newsmax.
"It is the standing order of this court that Mr. Robinson shall be allowed to appear in person, so he can fully engage with his attorneys, and in these legal proceedings, counsel, regardless of who is watching, whether it is the nation or a single individual, we must fulfill our roles with integrity, civility, and diligence."
During Monday's procedural hearing, the court appointed attorneys Michael Burt, Richard Novak, and Catherine Nestor to represent Robinson, confirming that their combined experience meets the state's Rule 8 qualification standards.
Prosecutors told the court they would turn over discovery material within five days of the defense's request, acknowledging the evidence is "voluminous," including significant digital records.
The court also addressed a pretrial publicity order, clarifying that attorneys must inform witnesses of its restrictions as they are identified. Prosecutors said the case could involve thousands of potential witnesses because the alleged incident occurred before a crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 students at Utah Valley University.
Defense attorneys declined to waive a preliminary hearing, citing the massive scope of discovery, and asked the court to revisit scheduling once they have reviewed more of the material. They also postponed any detention-related arguments.
The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. local time and will be held in person with Robinson.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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