Utah Judge Denies Defense Request to Close Pretrial Hearing in Charlie Kirk Killing Case

Utah Judge Tony Graf denied a motion from Tyler Robinson’s lawyers to keep media outlets out of the July pretrial hearing during a televised Monday proceeding on June 1, 2026. The preliminary hearing will examine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to bring Robinson to trial for allegedly climbing a rooftop at Utah Valley University in Orem and fatally shooting Charlie Kirk on Sept.

10, 2025.

Judge Tony Graf stated that the public and the media enjoy a presumptive right to access court proceedings, including preliminary hearings. He also stated that Robinson’s lawyers failed to establish that the evidence, if presented in a public proceeding, would create a realistic likelihood of prejudice to the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

In a separate ruling, Judge Tony Graf ordered an evidentiary hearing for June 12 on whether Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray and Chris Ballard violated the court’s pre-trial publicity order.

Tyler Robinson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child. Utah is pursuing the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

Judge Tony Graf previously denied requests to disqualify the Utah County Attorney’s Office from the case and for a blanket ban on cameras in the courtroom. Judge Tony Graf is an appointee of Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

The law firm defending Tyler Robinson did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.