A Utah judge denied Tyler Robinson's request to close parts of a preliminary hearing related to his murder case on June 1, 2026. During a virtual hearing, Utah District Judge Tony Graf ruled against keeping the proceedings away from media coverage and scheduled a separate hearing to address allegations that prosecutors violated a pretrial publicity order through their media comments.
The judge's decision came ahead of Robinson's preliminary hearing set for July 6 to 10, where prosecutors will present evidence. Judge Graf noted that the public and media have a presumptive right to access court proceedings and found that Robinson did not provide sufficient evidence to justify closing the hearing. He also mentioned that less restrictive alternatives, such as expanded juror questionnaires, could mitigate concerns about potential juror prejudice.
In a separate ruling, Judge Graf agreed to hold a hearing to examine whether members of the Utah County Attorney's Office breached the court's pretrial publicity order. Robinson's attorneys claimed that prosecutors had improperly discussed the case with various media outlets. However, the judge clarified that his ruling does not imply that any violations occurred.
Robinson, 23, faces capital murder charges for the September 10, 2025, killing of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in this case. A hearing on the alleged violations of the publicity order is scheduled for June 12, 2026, where both sides will present evidence.