The preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, entered its third day Wednesday as a Utah judge weighed what evidence can be made public before deciding whether the case will move to trial.
The weeklong hearing is intended to determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to send Robinson, 23, to trial. He faces seven criminal charges, including aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Kirk’s widow, Erika, and his parents attended the first three days of the hearing and are expected to remain in court through the end of the proceedings.
A heated dispute centered on whether jurors and the public should see a recorded police interview with Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twiggs.
Jeffrey Neiman, an attorney representing the Kirk family, argued that any evidence admitted during the preliminary hearing should also be available for the public to see.
“It should be made public for the world to see,” he stated, referring to the recorded interview. “No redactions.”
Neiman argued the court has other ways to protect Robinson’s right to a fair trial while maintaining transparency.
“To not be open, to not let the world see what happened will create doubt and trust in the judicial system,” Neiman added. “That’s not what anybody wants. That’s not what anyone believes should happen here.”
Defense attorney Richard Novak opposed releasing the video, arguing that prosecutors would present it as a “confession” and that making it public could undermine Robinson’s right to a fair trial.
District Court Judge Tony Graf directed prosecutors to prepare a redacted version of the interview for use in open court while ruling that he will review the full, unredacted recording when deciding whether prosecutors have established probable cause to send the Tyler Robinson case to trial.
