A national flag hangs over the site where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed, at Utah Valley University, Sept. 17, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Jesse Bedayn, File)2025-12-11T05:06:11Z PROVO, Utah (AP) The 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday as his attorneys push to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case.A Utah judge is weighing the publics right to know details in the prosecution of Tyler Robinson against his attorneys concerns that the swarm of media attention could interfere with his right to a fair trial. Robinsons legal team and the Utah County Sheriffs Office have asked Judge Tony Graf to ban cameras in the courtroom.Prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. They plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson arrived in court with restraints on his wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie and slacks. He smiled at the people sitting in a row reserved for family, where a woman teared up and wiped her eyes with a tissue. The defendant had previously appeared in court via video or audio feed from jail.A coalition of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, is fighting to preserve media access in the case. Graf has already made allowances to protect Robinsons presumption of innocence before a trial, agreeing that the case has drawn extraordinary public attention. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Graf held a closed hearing on Oct. 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinsons courtroom attire and security protocols. Under a subsequent ruling by the judge, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes in court during his pretrial hearings but must be physically restrained due to security concerns. Graf also prohibited media from filming or photographing Robinsons restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice future jurors. Michael Judd, an attorney for the media coalition, has urged Graf to let the news organizations weigh in on any future requests for closed hearings or other limitations. The media presence at Utah hearings is already limited, with judges often designating one photographer and one videographer to document a hearing and share their images with other news organizations. Additional journalists can typically attend to listen and take notes, as can members of the public. Judd wrote in recent filings that an open court safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. Criminal cases in the U.S. have long been open to the public, which he argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters as they work to keep the public informed.Kirks widow, Erika Kirk, has called for full transparency, saying, We deserve to have cameras in there. Her husband was an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism.Robinsons legal team says his pretrial publicity reaches as far as the White House, with Trump announcing soon after Robinsons arrest, With a high degree of certainty, we have him, and I hope he gets the death penalty. Attorney Kathy Nester has raised concern that digitally altered versions of Robinsons initial court photo have spread widely, creating misinformation about the case. Some altered images show Robinson crying or having an outburst in court, which did not happen. HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Schoenbaum is a government and politics reporter based in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also covers general news in the Rockies and LGBTQ+ rights policies in U.S. statehouses. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site