Defense Seeks to Limit Public Access at Hearing for Accused Kirk Assassin

Lawyers for Tyler Robinson, accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, asked a Utah judge to seal some evidence and close parts of an upcoming preliminary hearing to the public. The defense motion came after the court denied a request to remove news cameras from the courtroom.

Court filings show prosecutors plan to present records from the messaging app Discord, text messages, statements, videos of the shooting, and a note. The defense argued that some testimony and exhibits might later be ruled inadmissible at trial and should not be made public now.

Prosecutors responded that the motion was filed too late and did not identify specific items to withhold. They offered to exclude DNA evidence from the hearing, stating they had enough other material to establish probable cause. Judge Tony Graf Jr. granted a postponement requested by the defense, moving the hearing from the week of May 18 to early July.

The proceeding is expected to last up to four days.

Attorneys for a coalition of media outlets, including Fox News Digital, opposed closing parts of the hearing. They noted that preliminary hearings are routinely open to the public. Robinson, 22, surrendered at a southern Utah sheriff’s office less than two days after the September 10, 2025 shooting.

Prosecutors have alleged he confessed to friends and family. He remains held without bail and has not entered a plea.