The man accused of killing right-wing activist Charlie Kirk will be allowed to wear civilian clothes during pretrial hearings to avoid prejudice to potential jurors, a Utah judge has said.
Judge Tony Graf said Tyler Robinson will be required to wear restraints during the hearing, but no photos or videos of him wearing the restraints will be allowed.
Robinson, 22, was arrested on aggravated murder charges Sept. 12, more than a day after Kirk was fatally shot during a speech at Utah Valley University.
During Monday's court hearing, Judge Graf acknowledged the enormous interest in the case and urged Robinson to “maintain the presumption of innocence.”
“Balancing these factors, the court finds that Mr. Robinson's right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the minimal inconvenience of being allowed to wear civilian clothing,” Judge Graf said, according to a local Fox News affiliate.
Judge Graf said given the severity of the charges, Robinson would remain under restrictions, but it should be the “least restrictive” option.
He said that although Robinson had no prior criminal history, the charges against him were extremely serious and raised security concerns in the courtroom.
“The safety of Mr. Robinson, the attorneys, court staff and the public must remain the court's highest priority,” Judge Graf said.
“The emotional nature of these proceedings also increases the risk of failure,” he added. “Given these factors, the defendant's motion to appear without restriction is denied.”
Robinson was not physically present in court for Monday's virtual hearing. His next in-person court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 16.
Robinson faces seven charges, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and felony firearm.
Utah County prosecutors said they are seeking the death penalty in his case.
